CVE-2012-1513 in vCenter
Summary
by MITRE
The Web Configuration tool in VMware vCenter Orchestrator (vCO) 4.0 before Update 4, 4.1 before Update 2, and 4.2 before Update 1 places the vCenter Server password in an HTML document, which allows remote authenticated administrators to obtain sensitive information by reading this document.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1513 affects VMware vCenter Orchestrator versions 4.0 before Update 4, 4.1 before Update 2, and 4.2 before Update 1, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that undermines the security posture of virtualized environments. This issue manifests within the Web Configuration tool component of vCO, where sensitive authentication credentials are improperly stored in plaintext within HTML documents, creating an exploitable condition that compromises system integrity and confidentiality. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output sanitization practices during the configuration process, where the system fails to properly obscure or encrypt sensitive data before rendering it in web-based interfaces.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the Web Configuration tool's improper handling of vCenter Server authentication credentials, which are written directly to HTML documents without appropriate security measures. When authenticated administrators access the configuration interface, the system generates HTML pages that contain the password in cleartext format, making it accessible to any user with sufficient privileges to read the document. This design flaw directly violates security best practices and creates an attack surface that adversaries can leverage to escalate their privileges and gain unauthorized access to critical infrastructure components. The vulnerability operates under the principle of least privilege violation, where sensitive information is exposed beyond the necessary scope of access.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables remote authenticated administrators to obtain sensitive information by simply reading the HTML document containing the password, thereby eliminating the need for complex exploitation techniques. The compromise of vCenter Server credentials can lead to complete system takeover, allowing attackers to manipulate virtual machines, access network configurations, and potentially escalate their access to other connected systems within the virtual infrastructure. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments where vCenter Orchestrator is used for automation and orchestration, as the exposure of administrative credentials can result in widespread disruption and data compromise across multiple virtualized resources.
The vulnerability maps to CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, highlighting the fundamental security misconfigurations present in the application's data handling processes. From the MITRE ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with T1552.001 (Unsecured Credentials) and T1078 (Valid Accounts) techniques, as it enables adversaries to obtain valid credentials through legitimate administrative interfaces. Organizations using affected VMware vCenter Orchestrator versions face significant risk of credential theft, privilege escalation, and potential lateral movement within their virtualized environments. The remediation approach requires immediate application of vendor patches, implementation of proper credential management practices, and regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other system components.
The security implications extend beyond immediate credential exposure, as compromised vCenter Server access can enable attackers to manipulate virtual machine configurations, access sensitive data stored in virtual environments, and potentially disrupt business continuity operations. Organizations should implement additional monitoring controls to detect unauthorized access to configuration files and establish robust credential rotation policies to minimize the impact of such vulnerabilities. The incident underscores the importance of proper input/output sanitization, secure coding practices, and regular security updates in maintaining the integrity of enterprise infrastructure management systems.