CVE-2007-5619 in Server
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in VMware Server before 1.0.4 causes user passwords to be recorded in cleartext in server logs, which might allow local users to gain privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/29/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-5619 represents a critical security flaw in VMware Server versions prior to 1.0.4 that exposes user authentication credentials through improper logging practices. This issue falls under the category of insecure logging and credential storage, creating a significant attack vector for local adversaries who can exploit the cleartext password exposure in server log files. The vulnerability demonstrates poor security hygiene in credential handling and log management practices that directly contravenes established security principles for protecting sensitive authentication data.
The technical implementation flaw involves the VMware Server application's failure to properly sanitize or encrypt password information before writing it to log files. When users authenticate to the VMware Server system, their password credentials are being written in plaintext format to system logs without any form of obfuscation or encryption. This cleartext exposure occurs during the authentication process and subsequent logging operations, creating persistent records that can be accessed by any local user with read permissions to the log files. The vulnerability specifically affects the server-side logging mechanism that captures user authentication events, making it a direct consequence of improper input validation and output sanitization practices. This flaw aligns with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and CWE-532 (Information Exposure Through Log Files) classifications, representing multiple security weaknesses in the system's information protection mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft to enable privilege escalation attacks within the virtualized environment. Local users who can access the server logs can extract password information and potentially use these credentials to gain unauthorized access to VMware Server administrative functions, virtual machines, and associated resources. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires minimal privileges to exploit, as local access to log files is often more readily available than remote network access. This vulnerability creates a persistent security risk that can be exploited by malicious insiders or attackers who have gained local system access, potentially leading to complete system compromise and unauthorized virtual machine management. The exposure of authentication credentials through log files violates fundamental security principles and can result in cascading security failures throughout the virtualized infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of several security controls and configuration changes. The primary solution involves upgrading VMware Server to version 1.0.4 or later, which includes proper password sanitization in log output. Organizations should also implement log file access controls and permissions that restrict read access to sensitive log files, ensuring that only authorized administrative users can view authentication logs. Additional measures include implementing log rotation policies to prevent long-term retention of sensitive information, configuring centralized logging systems with proper filtering mechanisms, and establishing monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized access attempts to log files. Security teams should conduct regular audits of log file contents and access patterns to identify potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of following the principle of least privilege and implementing proper input validation for all user authentication data, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1562.006 (Impair Command History Logging) where credential exposure can lead to unauthorized access and system compromise. Organizations must also consider implementing additional security controls such as multi-factor authentication and encrypted log storage to provide defense-in-depth against similar credential exposure vulnerabilities.