Overview
In this blog post, we will delve into the details of a critical vulnerability, CVE-2025-32976, that affects Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA). This vulnerability presents a significant security risk as it allows authenticated users to bypass Time-Based One-Time Password (TOTP) two-factor authentication (2FA) requirements and gain elevated access. This flaw can potentially lead to system compromise or data leakage, particularly in environments where SMA is a critical component of the network infrastructure.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-32976
Severity: Critical (8.8 CVSS score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low – Authenticated Users
User Interaction: Required
Impact: System compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) 13.0.x | Before 13.0.385
Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) 13.1.x | Before 13.1.81
Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) 13.2.x | Before 13.2.183
Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) 14.0.x | Before 14.0.341 (Patch 5)
Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) 14.1.x | Before 14.1.101 (Patch 4)
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability stems from a logic flaw in the 2FA validation process of Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA). An attacker with authenticated access can exploit this flaw by manipulating the 2FA validation process to bypass the TOTP-based 2FA requirements, thereby gaining elevated access to the system.
Conceptual Example Code
While there is no specific exploit code available, an attacker may manipulate the 2FA process through a sequence of HTTP requests. A conceptual example might look like this:
POST /KACE_SMA/validate_2FA HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: application/json
Cookie: Authenticated_User_Session=...
{
"user": "attacker",
"pass": "attacker_password",
"2FA_token": "bypassed_value"
}In the above request, the attacker uses their valid credentials but provides a manipulated or bypassed 2FA token. Due to the logic flaw in the 2FA validation process, the SMA may grant elevated access to the attacker despite the invalid 2FA token.
To mitigate this vulnerability, apply the vendor-provided patch as soon as possible. If this is not immediately possible, consider implementing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) as a temporary countermeasure. However, these should not be seen as a long-term solution, as they may not fully prevent exploitation of the vulnerability.