MEDIUM CVSS 5.3
Published: 2017-04-14

CVE-2016-4890

zohocorp servicedesk_plus Security Advisory (CVE-2016-4890)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2016-4890 impacting zohocorp servicedesk_plus. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 5.3 (MEDIUM).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
ZOHO ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus before 9.2 uses an insecure method for generating cookies, which makes it easier for attackers to obtain sensitive password information by leveraging access to a cookie.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
Low (C:L)
Partial information leakage
Integrity
None (I:N)
No system modification impact
Availability
None (A:N)
No system availability impact

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product zohocorp / servicedesk_plus
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-254

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2016-4890 impacting zohocorp servicedesk_plus.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2016-4890.yaml
id: cve-2016-4890

info:
  name: zohocorp servicedesk_plus - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: medium
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2016-4890 affecting zohocorp servicedesk_plus.
    Evaluation: ZOHO ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus before 9.2 uses an insecure method for generating cookies, which makes it easier for attackers to obtain sensitive ...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2016-4890
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
    cvss-score: 5.3
    cve-id: CVE-2016-4890
    cwe-id: CWE-254
  tags: cve,cve-2016-4890,zohocorp,servicedesk_plus,medium

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "servicedesk_plus"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2016-4890.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2016-4890
# Target: zohocorp servicedesk_plus | CVSS: 5.3 (MEDIUM)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2016-4890 (zohocorp servicedesk_plus)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against zohocorp servicedesk_plus scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2016-4890.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2016-4890
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install servicedesk_plus 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade servicedesk_plus 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update servicedesk_plus

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i servicedesk_plus 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i servicedesk_plus

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2016-4890 in zohocorp servicedesk_plus?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update zohocorp servicedesk_plus packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2016-4890?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2016-4890?

CVE-2016-4890 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 5.3 (MEDIUM). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
5.3
MEDIUM SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2016-4890
Weakness CWE-254
Vendor zohocorp
Product servicedesk_plus
Published 2017-04-14
Vector CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N