CVE-2008-5420 in Control Center
Summary
by MITRE
The SAN Manager Master Agent service (aka msragent.exe) in EMC Control Center before 6.1 does not properly authenticate SST_SENDFILE requests, which allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-5420 affects the SAN Manager Master Agent service component within EMC Control Center versions prior to 6.1. This service operates through the executable msragent.exe and represents a critical authentication flaw that exposes the system to unauthorized file access. The vulnerability specifically impacts the SST_SENDFILE request handling mechanism, which is designed to manage file transfer operations within the storage area network management framework. The flaw exists in the service's inability to properly validate authentication credentials when processing these particular requests, creating an exploitable condition that bypasses normal security controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and authentication checks within the master agent service. When the SST_SENDFILE request is processed, the service fails to verify the legitimacy of the requesting entity or validate the file access permissions associated with the request. This authentication bypass allows remote attackers to craft malicious requests that can traverse the file system and retrieve arbitrary files from the target system. The vulnerability essentially creates a path traversal condition where attacker-controlled requests can access files outside of the intended scope, potentially exposing sensitive configuration data, user credentials, or system information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized file access, as it provides attackers with potential reconnaissance capabilities that could lead to further exploitation. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gather information about the system configuration, identify running services, and discover sensitive data that might be stored in accessible file locations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise storage environments where EMC Control Center is deployed, as these systems typically manage critical infrastructure components and may contain data that would be valuable to threat actors. The remote nature of the attack means that exploitation can occur from outside the network perimeter without requiring local system access or prior authentication.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authentication issues, and represents a classic example of insufficient authorization controls. The flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1005, which covers data from local system storage, and T1078, which involves valid accounts for lateral movement. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-supplied patch for EMC Control Center version 6.1 or later, which addresses the authentication bypass in the master agent service. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to the SAN Manager Master Agent service, particularly limiting access to trusted administrative networks. Additionally, monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual file access patterns or unauthorized requests to the affected service, as this vulnerability could serve as a precursor to more sophisticated attacks targeting the broader storage infrastructure.