SUMMARY

Symantec Web Gateway (SWG) Appliance management console is susceptible to a number of security vulnerabilities. Successful exploitation may result in both an authorized but less-privileged user or in some instances an unauthorized user potentially gaining access to unauthorized files on the management console or possibility being able to manipulate elevated privileges to the management console and the underlying OS.

AFFECTED PRODUCTS

NOTE: Customers should always ensure they are running the latest data base updates available for download

ISSUES

MITIGATION

Details

Symantec was notified of security issues impacting the Symantec Web Gateway (SWG) management console. The results of successful exploitation could potentially range from a user with authorized but lower-privileged access to the management console gaining unauthorized access to sensitive data or another user’s account to unauthorized manipulation of the console and underlying operating system.

Authenticated access blind time-based SQL injection issues were identified allowing an authenticated but less-privileged SWG user to potentially make unauthorized database queries.

An authorized user could potentially inject arbitrary commands though the SWG console’s hostname interface if the attacker already has some level of privileged access.

As a result of weak authentication and sanitization of user controlled input, an authorized but less-privileged user could potentially upload arbitrary code to be executed by application scripts used by the SWG management console potentially resulting in arbitrary command execution with application privileges.

SWG in certain cases improperly validates/sanitizes external input allowing the potential for an authorized access redirect bypass. By manipulating a weakness in additional functionality of the console, an authorized but less-privileged user may be able to bypass authorization checks and inject arbitrary commands in the appliance OS with elevated privileges.

SWG fails to properly validate/sanitize certain external input allowing the potential for reflected cross-site scripting attempts by both authorized but non-privileged and in some instances unauthorized individuals who can entice a logged in web console user to visit a malicious site. Successful targeting of these issues could potentially result in the hijacking of an authorized Symantec Web Gateway user session with associated privileges.

NOTE: In a normal installation, the Symantec Web Gateway management console interface should never be accessible external to the authorized network. However, an authorized but less-privileged network user or an external attacker able to leverage network access could attempt to exploit these weaknesses.

Symantec Response

Symantec engineers validated these submissions. A Symantec Web Gateway data base update, version 5.0.0.1277, has been released to address them. Symantec Web Gateway latest data base update is currently available to customers through normal support locations. Symantec is not aware of exploitation of or adverse customer impact from these issues.

Customers should ensure they are on the latest release of Symantec Web Gateway 5.2.2 and running the latest data base update v5.0.0.1277 or later. To confirm customers are running the latest updates check the “Current Software Version -> Current Version” on theAdministration->Updates page. Alternatively, customers can click the “Check for Updates” button on the Administration->Updates page to verify that they are running the latest software version.

Best Practices

As part of normal best practices, Symantec strongly recommends:

• Restrict access to administration or management systems to privileged users.

• Disable remote access if not required or restrict it to trusted/authorized systems only.

• Where possible, limit exposure of application and web interfaces to trusted/internal networks only.

• Keep all operating systems and applications updated with the latest vendor patches.

  • The Symantec Web Gateway software and any applications that are installed on the Symantec Web Gateway can ONLY be updated with authorized and tested versions distributed by Symantec.

   

• Follow a multi-layered approach to security. Run both firewall and anti-malware applications, at a minimum, to provide multiple points of detection and protection to both inbound and outbound threats.

• Deploy network and host-based intrusion detection systems to monitor network traffic for signs of anomalous or suspicious activity. This may aid in detection of attacks or malicious activity related to exploitation of latent vulnerabilities

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Symantec thanks Jos Wetzels with LeakFree Security, as well as an anonymous researcher working with HP's Zero Day Initiative (ZDI). We would also like to thank ZDI for working with us as we resolved their findings.

Symantec thanks Daniel Jensen with Security-Assessment.com for submitting his findings and working with us as we resolved them.

REFERENCES

BID: Security Focus, http://www.securityfocus.com, has assigned Bugtraq IDs (BIDs) to these issues for inclusion in the Security Focus vulnerability database.

CVE: These issues are candidates for inclusion in the CVE list (http://cve.mitre.org), which standardizes names for security problems.