CVE-2011-1742 in Data Protection Advisor
Summary
by MITRE
EMC Data Protection Advisor before 5.8.1 places cleartext account credentials in the DPA configuration file in unspecified circumstances, which might allow local users to obtain sensitive information by reading this file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-1742 affects EMC Data Protection Advisor versions prior to 5.8.1, representing a critical security flaw in how the system handles credential storage within its configuration files. This issue falls under the category of insecure credential storage, where sensitive authentication information is persisted in an unencrypted format, creating a significant attack surface for local adversaries who may gain access to the system's file system. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the system creates configuration files that contain cleartext account credentials, which are stored in locations accessible to local users who may not possess administrative privileges. This represents a fundamental failure in the principle of least privilege and secure configuration management.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's design decision to store authentication credentials in plain text within configuration files rather than utilizing proper encryption mechanisms or secure credential storage solutions. When the DPA system initializes or updates its configuration, it writes account credentials directly into files without implementing any form of encryption or obfuscation. This practice creates a persistent exposure where any local user with read access to these configuration files can immediately extract usernames and passwords in their original, unaltered form. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it does not require elevated privileges to exploit, as local users who can read the configuration files can access the cleartext credentials without needing administrative access to the system itself. This flaw aligns with CWE-312, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information through cleartext storage of credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it can enable attackers to establish persistent access to protected systems and data repositories managed by the Data Protection Advisor. Local users who can read the configuration files can leverage these credentials to access backup systems, storage arrays, and other protected resources that the DPA application manages, potentially leading to data breaches, unauthorized system modifications, or complete compromise of the backup infrastructure. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for lateral movement within networks where the DPA application is deployed, as attackers can use the extracted credentials to access other systems that may share similar authentication mechanisms. This represents a significant risk in enterprise environments where backup systems often contain sensitive data and where the compromise of backup infrastructure can lead to complete data loss or exposure of critical business information.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation through the application of EMC's official patch or upgrade to version 5.8.1 or later, which addresses the insecure credential storage issue by implementing proper encryption mechanisms for configuration files. Organizations should also implement comprehensive file system access controls to limit read access to sensitive configuration files, ensuring that only authorized system processes and administrators can access these critical resources. The implementation of principle of least privilege should be enforced, where local users are granted minimal necessary access rights to prevent unauthorized reading of configuration files. Additionally, security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized access attempts to configuration files, and regular security audits should be conducted to ensure that sensitive information is not stored in cleartext formats. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following security best practices as outlined in the ATT&CK framework, particularly in the credential access and privilege escalation categories, where improper credential storage can lead to significant security compromise. Organizations should also consider implementing centralized credential management solutions and secure configuration management practices to prevent similar issues from occurring in other applications and systems within their infrastructure.