External risk intelligence

Symantec Messaging Gateway Remote Code Execution Vulnerability.

CVE advisoryKnown Exploit

CVE-2017-6327

A vulnerability in Symantec Messaging Gateway enables remote code execution, allowing attackers to issue commands and potentially escalate privileges. This poses a risk to organizations by compromising email security systems.

5Halo Surface Signal

Remote Code Execution

Symantec Message Gateway

before 10.6.3-267

External exposure likelihood

Halo Surface Signal score for CVE-2017-6327

Symantec Messaging Gateway is an email security appliance designed to be positioned at the network perimeter to filter incoming traffic, making it a public-facing service by design in normal deployment configurations.

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

Symantec Messaging Gateway is susceptible to a flaw that allows for remote code execution. This vulnerability means an unauthorized individual could potentially issue commands to a target system or process. After gaining initial access through this flaw, an attacker might attempt to increase their control or permissions on the compromised system.

  • Vulnerable Symantec Message Gateway
  • Remote code execution capability
  • Potential for privilege escalation

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker can exploit a vulnerability in Symantec Messaging Gateway to gain remote code execution. This occurs when an unauthenticated attacker interacts with the system over the network. Successful exploitation allows the attacker to execute commands remotely, potentially leading to further unauthorized actions on the compromised system.

  • Network exposure required.
  • Unauthenticated attacker gains access.
  • Trigger leads to remote command execution.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

This vulnerability allows an attacker to execute commands remotely on a targeted system. After gaining access, an attacker could attempt to increase their privileges on the compromised system. The attack vector is network-based, making the system accessible from outside the organization's internal network.

  • Likely attacker skill level: Low
  • Required access or conditions: Unauthenticated network access
  • Business risk or urgency: High

Priority actions

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

This vulnerability allows for remote code execution, enabling an attacker to potentially gain elevated privileges on affected systems. The risk is associated with the Symantec Messaging Gateway product, which processes incoming network traffic. Organizations should prioritize addressing this vulnerability to prevent unauthorized access and control of their email security infrastructure.

  • Identify all deployed instances of the affected product.
  • Limit network access to the product.
  • Apply vendor updates and confirm resolution.

Frequently asked questions

What is Symantec Messaging Gateway and what is it used for?

Symantec Messaging Gateway is an email security appliance used to filter incoming network traffic. It acts as a perimeter defense for organizations, helping to protect against unwanted or malicious emails before they reach user inboxes. It is designed to be positioned at the network edge.

What kind of weakness does CVE-2017-6327 describe for Symantec Messaging Gateway?

CVE-2017-6327 describes a remote code execution vulnerability. This means an attacker could potentially run their own commands on the affected Symantec Messaging Gateway system without authorization, giving them control over that system.

How can an attacker exploit the Symantec Messaging Gateway vulnerability?

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by interacting with the Symantec Messaging Gateway over the network. The attack does not require the attacker to have any prior authentication or login credentials to the system. The vulnerability is triggered through this unauthenticated network interaction.

Who should be concerned about this Symantec Messaging Gateway vulnerability?

Organizations using Symantec Messaging Gateway should be concerned, especially if their appliance is accessible from the internet. Because the vulnerability is network-based and exploitable remotely, it poses a significant risk to systems that are publicly facing and handle incoming email traffic.

What is the first step to address the CVE-2017-6327 vulnerability?

The first step for organizations running the affected Symantec Messaging Gateway is to identify all instances of the product within their environment. After identification, applying the vendor-provided updates is the primary method to resolve this vulnerability and prevent exploitation.

References