CVE-2010-2860 in Celerra Network Attached Storage
Summary
by MITRE
The EMC Celerra Network Attached Storage (NAS) appliance accepts external network traffic to IP addresses intended for an intranet network within the appliance, which allows remote attackers to read, create, or modify arbitrary files in the user data directory via NFS requests.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2860 represents a critical network configuration flaw within EMC Celerra Network Attached Storage appliances that fundamentally undermines the security boundaries designed to protect internal network resources. This issue stems from improper network address assignment and routing configuration where external network traffic is inadvertently accepted on IP addresses that should be reserved exclusively for internal intranet communications. The flaw exists at the network layer where the appliance fails to properly distinguish between external and internal network traffic based on IP address ranges, creating an unexpected attack surface that exposes sensitive data stores to unauthorized access from external adversaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the NFS (Network File System) protocol handling within the Celerra appliance, where the system processes incoming requests without adequate validation of the source network context. When remote attackers send NFS requests to IP addresses that are configured for internal network use, the appliance processes these requests as if they originated from within the trusted network, thereby bypassing the normal access controls and authentication mechanisms that would typically protect user data directories. This misconfiguration creates a path where external entities can perform arbitrary file operations including reading, creating, and modifying files within the user data directory, effectively granting them unauthorized access to potentially sensitive organizational data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data exposure, as it represents a complete breakdown in the network segmentation principles that organizations rely upon for data protection. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can systematically enumerate and access files stored within the user data directory, potentially compromising entire organizational datasets including confidential documents, personal information, and business-critical data. The implications are particularly severe for organizations that depend on NAS appliances for storing sensitive information, as this vulnerability allows for persistent unauthorized access that could go undetected for extended periods. The vulnerability also enables potential data exfiltration and modification attacks that could result in data integrity compromises and operational disruptions.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control, and demonstrates how network configuration errors can create unauthorized access paths that bypass traditional security controls. The attack vector follows ATT&CK technique T1046 for network service scanning and T1078 for valid accounts usage, as attackers can leverage the misconfigured network settings to access resources that would normally be restricted. Organizations should implement immediate network segmentation controls to ensure that external traffic cannot reach internal network addresses, and should verify that all network interfaces on storage appliances are properly configured with appropriate access controls. The remediation process requires careful network reconfiguration to ensure that IP address ranges intended for internal use are properly isolated from external network access, along with implementation of proper firewall rules and network access controls to prevent similar misconfigurations in the future.