Contents
- Vital information on this issue
- Scanning For and Finding Vulnerabilities in Shared Directory Access (Login)
- Penetration Testing (Pentest) for this Vulnerability
- Security updates on Vulnerabilities in Shared Directory Access (Login)
- Disclosures related to Vulnerabilities in Shared Directory Access (Login)
- Confirming the Presence of Vulnerabilities in Shared Directory Access (Login)
- False positive/negatives
- Patching/Repairing this vulnerability
- Exploits related to Vulnerabilities in Shared Directory Access (Login)
Vital Information on This Issue
Vulnerabilities in Shared Directory Access (Login) is a Medium risk vulnerability that is one of the most frequently found on networks around the world. This issue has been around since at least 1990 but has proven either difficult to detect, difficult to resolve or prone to being overlooked entirely.
| Vulnerability Name: | Shared Directory Access (Login) |
|---|---|
| Test ID: | 1162 |
| Risk: | Medium |
| Category: | Policy Checks |
| Type: | Attack |
| Summary: | We tried to access the password protected shared directory using several login/password combinations. |
| Impact: | Attackers have read/write access to your shares, and can possibly login to the server remotely. |
| Solution: | * Disabling Logging of Anonymous Logon Events (on Windows XP and later) You can completely disable anonymous logons (aka NULL sessions), but doing so might affect accessibility by users in trusting domains. Before changing policies throughout your domain, we suggest testing them on a limited number of systems. Windows XP and later provide the six policies listed below for controlling what information can be accessed anonymously. (These policies are in the Microsoft Management Console-MMC-Local Security Policy snap-in under Computer ConfigurationWindows SettingsSecuritySettingsLocal PoliciesSecurityOptions.)1. Network access: Allow anonymous SID/Name translation 2. Network access: Do not allow anonymous enumeration of SAM accounts 3. Network access: Do not allow anonymous enumeration of SAM accounts and shares 4. Network access: Let Everyone permissions apply to anonymous users 5. Network access: Named Pipes that can be accessed anonymously 6. Network access: Shares that can be accessed anonymouslyThe default values for these policies are acceptable for servers on a typical internal LAN. For hardened servers, such as Internet servers, we recommend disabling policies 1 and 4, enabling policies 2 and 3, and specifying empty lists for policies 5 and 6. You can’t specifically disable logging of anonymous logon events. In general, trying to prevent Windows from logging “noise” is futile. The only approach that works is to implement a log management solution that filters out the noise for you. |
| CVE: | CVE-1999-0503, CVE-1999-0504, CVE-1999-0505, CVE-1999-0506, CVE-2000-0222, CVE-2002-1117 |
| More Information: | |
| Nist NVD (CVSS): | AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C |
| CVSS Score: | 10.0 |
| Microsoft Knowledge Base: | Q132679 Q143474 Q289655 |
Scanning For and Finding Vulnerabilities in Shared Directory Access (Login)
Use of Vulnerability Management tools, or DAST tools, are standard practice for the discovery of this vulnerability. The primary failure of VA in finding this vulnerability is related to setting the proper scope and frequency of network scans. It is vital that the broadest range of hosts (active IPs) possible are scanned and that scanning is done frequently. We recommend weekly. Your existing scanning solution or set of test tools should make this not just possible..
Penetration Testing (pentest) for this Vulnerability
The Vulnerabilities in Shared Directory Access (Login) is prone to false positive reports by most vulnerability assessment solutions. AVDS is alone in using behavior based testing that eliminates this issue. For all other VA tools security consultants will recommend confirmation by direct observation. In any case Penetration testing procedures for discovery of Vulnerabilities in Shared Directory Access (Login) produces the highest discovery accuracy rate, but the infrequency of this expensive form of testing degrades its value. The ideal would be to have pentesting accuracy and the frequency and scope possibilities of VA solutions,
Security Updates on Vulnerabilities in Shared Directory Access (Login)
Given that this is one of the most frequently found vulnerabilities, there is ample information regarding mitigation online and very good reason to get it fixed. Hackers are also aware that this is a frequently found vulnerability and so its discovery and repair is that much more important. It is so well known and common that any network that has it present and unmitigated indicates “low hanging fruit” to attackers.
Disclosures related to this vulnerability
Confirming the Presence of Vulnerabilities in Shared Directory Access (Login)
AVDS is currently testing for and finding this vulnerability with zero false positives. If your current set of tools is indicating that it is present but you think it is probably a false positive, please contact us for a demonstration of AVDS.
False positive/negatives
The secret killer of VA solution value is the false positive. There was an industry wide race to find the most vulnerabilities, including Vulnerabilities in Shared Directory Access (Login) ,and this resulted in benefit to poorly written tests that beef up scan reports by adding a high percentage of uncertainty. This may have sold a lot of systems some years ago, but it also stuck almost all VA solutions with deliberately inaccurate reporting that adds time to repairs that no administrator can afford. Beyond Security did not participate in this race to mutually assured destruction of the industry and to this day produces the most accurate and actionable reports available.
Patching/Repairing this Vulnerability
Vulnerabilities in Shared Directory Access (Login) is a Medium risk vulnerability that is also high frequency and high visibility. This is the most severe combination of security factors that exists and it is extremely important to find it on your network and fix it as soon as possible.