CVE-2013-0500 in Storwize V7000 Unified Software
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Storwize V7000 Unified 1.3.x and 1.4.x before 1.4.2.0 does not properly handle device files that are created with the NFS protocol but accessed with a non-NFS protocol, which allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive information, modify programs or files, or cause a denial of service (device crash) via a (1) CIFS, (2) HTTPS, (3) SCP, or (4) SFTP operation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/02/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0500 affects IBM Storwize V7000 Unified storage systems running versions 1.3.x and 1.4.x before 1.4.2.0, representing a critical security flaw in the system's handling of mixed protocol device file operations. This issue stems from improper validation and management of device files that are initially created using the Network File System (NFS) protocol but subsequently accessed through alternative protocols such as Common Internet File System (CIFS), HTTPS, Secure Copy Protocol (SCP), or Secure Shell File Transfer Protocol (SFTP). The flaw creates a fundamental inconsistency in the system's security model where protocol-specific access controls and file handling mechanisms fail to properly validate cross-protocol file operations, leading to potential unauthorized access and system instability.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when authenticated remote users leverage the inconsistency between NFS-created device files and non-NFS access protocols to perform unauthorized operations. When a device file is initially created via NFS, the system establishes specific access permissions and file descriptors that may not be properly validated when the same file is subsequently accessed through CIFS, HTTPS, SCP, or SFTP protocols. This protocol mismatch allows attackers to bypass expected security controls and potentially access sensitive information stored within the device files, modify program files or data, or trigger system crashes that result in denial of service conditions. The vulnerability specifically targets the storage system's protocol handling layer where the distinction between different network protocols should maintain strict security boundaries.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to enterprise storage environments as it enables authenticated attackers to compromise the integrity and availability of storage resources. The potential for information disclosure means that sensitive data stored within device files could be accessed by unauthorized parties, while the capability to modify programs or files could lead to persistent backdoors or system compromise. The denial of service aspect particularly threatens business continuity as device crashes could result in complete storage service outages, impacting critical business applications and data availability. Organizations relying on IBM Storwize V7000 Unified systems for enterprise storage management face substantial operational risk from this vulnerability, especially in environments where multiple protocols are used simultaneously for storage access.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-264 (Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls) categories, reflecting the fundamental breakdown in access control mechanisms and information protection within the storage system. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation, defense evasion, and resource hijacking, as attackers can exploit the protocol handling inconsistency to gain unauthorized access to storage resources. The vulnerability also demonstrates characteristics of credential reuse and protocol manipulation attacks, where attackers leverage legitimate access credentials to perform operations across different protocol contexts. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patch to version 1.4.2.0 or later, implementing strict protocol segregation policies, and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to storage resources. Network segmentation and access control lists should be configured to limit protocol-specific access where possible, while regular security assessments should verify that device files are properly handled according to their creation protocols to prevent exploitation of this cross-protocol vulnerability.