CVE-2013-3273 in RSA Authentication Manager
Summary
by MITRE
EMC RSA Authentication Manager 8.0 before P2 and 7.1 before SP4 P26, as used in Appliance 3.0, does not omit the cleartext administrative password from trace logging in custom SDK applications, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information by reading the trace log file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/05/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-3273 affects EMC RSA Authentication Manager versions 8.0 before patch level P2 and 7.1 before service pack 4 P26, specifically when deployed in appliance version 3.0. This issue represents a critical information disclosure flaw that stems from improper handling of sensitive data within application trace logging mechanisms. The vulnerability occurs within custom SDK applications that utilize the RSA Authentication Manager platform, creating a potential attack vector for local adversaries who can access trace log files on the system.
The technical flaw resides in the application's failure to properly sanitize trace logging output, specifically failing to omit cleartext administrative passwords from log entries. When custom SDK applications interact with the RSA Authentication Manager, they generate trace logs that contain detailed operational information including authentication parameters and administrative credentials. The absence of proper filtering mechanisms means that these sensitive credentials are written in plain text to log files, making them immediately accessible to any user with read access to the trace log directory. This behavior violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and secure logging practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it provides local attackers with immediate access to administrative credentials without requiring additional exploitation techniques. An attacker with local system access can simply navigate to the trace log directory and read the log files to extract cleartext passwords, potentially gaining full administrative control over the RSA Authentication Manager system. This access could enable privilege escalation, unauthorized system modifications, credential theft, and potential lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the integrity and confidentiality of the authentication system, undermining the very purpose of multi-factor authentication that RSA Authentication Manager is designed to provide.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided patches for RSA Authentication Manager versions 8.0 P2 and 7.1 SP4 P26, or upgrading to supported versions that address this logging issue. System administrators should also review and restrict file system permissions on trace log directories to limit local access, implement log rotation with proper cleanup procedures, and establish monitoring for unauthorized access to sensitive log files. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses improper exposure of sensitive information, and corresponds to techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under credential access and privilege escalation tactics. Additionally, this issue demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices and proper input validation in custom application development, particularly when handling authentication-related data within trace logging mechanisms.