title: Authentication bypass in OpenText (Micro Focus) Enterprise Server
description: User authentication with username and password credentials is ineffective in OpenText (Micro Focus) Visual COBOL, COBOL Server, Enterprise Developer, and Enterprise Server (including product variants such as Enterprise Test Server), versions 7.0 patch updates 19 and 20, 8.0 patch updates 8 and 9, and 9.0 patch update 1, when LDAP-based authentication is used with certain configurations. When the vulnerability is active, authentication succeeds with any valid username, regardless of whether the password is correct; it may also succeed with an invalid username (and any password). This allows an attacker with access to the product to impersonate any user.
Mitigations: The issue is corrected in the upcoming patch update for each affected product. Product overlays and workaround instructions are available through OpenText Support. The vulnerable configurations are believed to be uncommon.
Administrators can test for the vulnerability in their installations by attempting to sign on to a Visual COBOL or Enterprise Server component such as ESCWA using a valid username and incorrect password.
problem types: CWE-287 Improper Authentication
affected:
{
defaultStatus: unaffected
platforms: [Windows, Linux, AIX Solaris HP-UX]
product: Visual COBOL, COBOL Server, Enterprise Developer, Enterprise Server
vendor: OpenText
versions:
lessThan: 7.0.21, status: affected, version: 7.0.19, versionType: patch update
lessThan: 8.0.10, status: affected, version: 8.0.8, versionType: patch update
lessThan: 9.0.2, status: affected, version: 9.0.1, versionType: patch update
}
metrics:
cvssV3_1: [
attackComplexity: LOW
attackVector: NETWORK
availabilityImpact: HIGH
baseScore: 9.8
baseSeverity: CRITICAL
confidentialityImpact: HIGH
integrityImpact: HIGH
privilegesRequired: NONE
scope: UNCHANGED
userInteraction: NONE
vectorString: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
version: 3.1
]
format: CVSS
scenarios: GENERAL
exploits: OpenText has not been informed of any exploitation of this vulnerability.
solutions: Install 7.0 Patch Update 21, 8.0 Patch Update 10, or 9.0 Patch Update 2, or later, when available. Hotfix overlays are available now for common platforms and can be produced for other platforms; contact OpenText Support to request a hotfix overlay.
workarounds: Contact OpenText Support for workaround details.