Quantum Secular Labs / Blog / Advisories

CVE-2018-12242: Symantec Messaging Gateway: Authentication bypass

CVE-2018-12242 is rated critical with a CVSS v3.0 base score of 9.8 and affects Symantec Messaging Gateway. Per its scoring, it can be exploited over the network, without authentication, without any user interaction. The scored impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability is the highest available.

Vulnerability description

The Symantec Messaging Gateway product prior to 10.6.6 may be susceptible to an authentication bypass exploit, which is a type of issue that can allow attackers to potentially circumvent security mechanisms currently in place and gain access to the system or network.

Severity breakdown

CVSS v3.0 9.8: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

  • Attack vector: Network. Exploitable remotely over the network, with no need for local or physical access.
  • Attack complexity: Low. No special conditions; the attack can be repeated reliably.
  • Privileges required: None. No account or prior access is needed.
  • User interaction: None. No action from any user is needed.
  • Scope: Unchanged. Impact stays within the vulnerable component.
  • Confidentiality impact: High. Total loss of confidentiality; sensitive data can be fully disclosed.
  • Integrity impact: High. Total loss of integrity; data or system state can be fully modified.
  • Availability impact: High. Total loss of availability; the component can be shut down.

Underlying weakness

CWE-287: Improper Authentication

When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct.

Affected products

  • Symantec Messaging Gateway: before 10.6.6

References