Badlock (CVE-2016-2118)

Badlock is the name used for CVE-2016-2118, a vulnerability affecting the Security Account Manager and Local Security Authority remote protocols implemented by Samba and Windows systems.

Disclosure

The issue was disclosed on April 12, 2016, after advance notices had prompted substantial public attention. Samba issued security updates alongside the coordinated disclosure.

Advisories described the flaw as enabling a man-in-the-middle attacker to impersonate a user or alter communications in certain configurations. The precise exposure depended on deployment and protocol use.

Response

Administrators were advised to apply Samba and Microsoft updates and to review the relevant remote-protocol protections. The event is also remembered for discussion around the use of branding and pre-disclosure publicity.

Timeline

• 2016-04-12Badlock and CVE-2016-2118 are publicly disclosed.
• 2016-04Samba and Microsoft publish related security updates.