CVE-2011-1372 in Ts3100 Tape Library
Summary
by MITRE
The Web User Interface on the IBM TS3100 and TS3200 tape libraries with firmware before A.60 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication and obtain administrative access via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1372 affects IBM TS3100 and TS3200 tape library systems running firmware versions prior to A.60. These tape libraries are enterprise-grade storage devices used in data centers for automated tape handling and backup operations. The flaw resides within the web user interface component that serves as the primary management interface for these devices, creating a critical security weakness that undermines the integrity of the system's access controls.
This authentication bypass vulnerability represents a significant technical flaw that allows remote attackers to gain administrative privileges without proper credentials. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability could be exploited through multiple attack paths including but not limited to improper input validation, insecure session management, or flawed access control mechanisms within the web interface. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues, and it maps to attack techniques in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1110 for credential access and T1071 for application layer protocols.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for organizations relying on these tape libraries for critical data protection operations. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability gains full administrative control over the tape library, enabling them to manipulate backup operations, access protected data, modify library configurations, and potentially disrupt business continuity processes. The remote nature of the attack means that threat actors can exploit this weakness from outside the organization's network perimeter, making it particularly dangerous for systems connected to the internet or accessible through corporate networks without proper segmentation.
Organizations should immediately upgrade their IBM TS3100 and TS3200 tape library firmware to version A.60 or later to remediate this vulnerability. Additional mitigations include implementing network segmentation to isolate tape library management interfaces from general network traffic, configuring firewalls to restrict access to management ports, and ensuring that administrative access is limited to authorized personnel only. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual access patterns or unauthorized configuration changes in the tape library management systems. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of keeping enterprise storage infrastructure updated with the latest security patches to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive backup and archival data.