CVE-2014-0178 in Samba
Summary
by MITRE
Samba 3.6.6 through 3.6.23, 4.0.x before 4.0.18, and 4.1.x before 4.1.8, when a certain vfs shadow copy configuration is enabled, does not properly initialize the SRV_SNAPSHOT_ARRAY response field, which allows remote authenticated users to obtain potentially sensitive information from process memory via a (1) FSCTL_GET_SHADOW_COPY_DATA or (2) FSCTL_SRV_ENUMERATE_SNAPSHOTS request.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0178 affects Samba implementations across multiple versions including 3.6.6 through 3.6.23, 4.0.x before 4.0.18, and 4.1.x before 4.1.8. This issue manifests when specific virtual file system (VFS) shadow copy configurations are enabled, creating a critical security gap that exposes process memory contents to authenticated remote attackers. The vulnerability stems from improper initialization of the SRV_SNAPSHOT_ARRAY response field within the Server Message Block protocol implementation, specifically when handling shadow copy operations.
The technical flaw represents a classic information disclosure vulnerability that operates through the Windows SMB/CIFS protocol implementation within Samba. When a client sends either a FSCTL_GET_SHADOW_COPY_DATA or FSCTL_SRV_ENUMERATE_SNAPSHOTS request to a vulnerable Samba server, the server fails to properly initialize memory structures before populating the SRV_SNAPSHOT_ARRAY response field. This memory initialization failure results in the accidental exposure of uninitialized memory contents, which may contain sensitive data such as cryptographic keys, session tokens, or other confidential information from the process memory space. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authenticated access, meaning that any user with valid credentials can exploit this weakness to extract potentially sensitive information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the leaked memory contents could contain critical security artifacts that significantly weaken the overall security posture of affected systems. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can potentially reconstruct session information, extract authentication tokens, or discover other sensitive data that could be used for further attacks within the network. This weakness directly aligns with CWE-248, an information exposure vulnerability, and can be categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1005 for data from local system, while also supporting T1552 for credentials from password storage. The vulnerability affects systems where shadow copy functionality is enabled, which is common in enterprise environments where data recovery and backup capabilities are essential.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of Samba, specifically versions 3.6.24, 4.0.18, and 4.1.8 or later, which contain the necessary memory initialization fixes. Additionally, administrators should consider disabling shadow copy functionality when it is not required for business operations, particularly in environments where the risk of authenticated attacks is elevated. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit the attack surface, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual SMB traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory management in network protocol implementations and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of file sharing services that handle sensitive data operations.