CVE-2014-0199 in rhevm-reports
Summary
by MITRE
The setup script in ovirt-engine-reports, as used in the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization reports (rhevm-reports) package before 3.3.3, stores the reports database password in cleartext, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information by reading an unspecified file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0199 resides within the ovirt-engine-reports package, specifically in its setup script functionality that precedes version 3.3.3 of the Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization reports system. This flaw represents a critical security oversight where the database password is persistently stored in cleartext format within an unspecified file, creating an exploitable condition that directly violates fundamental security principles of credential handling. The vulnerability falls under the category of insecure credential storage, which is classified as CWE-312 in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, specifically addressing the exposure of sensitive information through cleartext storage. The issue manifests when the setup script executes and writes database authentication credentials to a file that lacks proper encryption or access controls, thereby exposing the sensitive information to any local user who can read the file.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides malicious local users with direct access to the database authentication credentials that govern access to the virtualization reporting system's backend data store. This exposure enables attackers to potentially escalate privileges, gain unauthorized access to virtualization metadata, and compromise the integrity of the entire reporting infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly concerning within enterprise virtualization environments where rhevm-reports systems manage critical infrastructure data, as it creates a persistent backdoor for attackers who can leverage the database credentials to perform unauthorized data access, modification, or exfiltration operations. The attack surface is further expanded by the fact that local access is sufficient to exploit this weakness, making it accessible to users with minimal privileges who may have legitimate access to the system.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with ATT&CK technique T1552.001, which covers "Credentials In Files" as part of the credential access category, and T1005, which addresses "Data from Local System" as an information gathering technique. Organizations utilizing the affected version of the rhevm-reports package face significant risk of data breaches and unauthorized access to virtualization reporting data, which may contain sensitive operational information, performance metrics, and infrastructure configurations. The cleartext storage of credentials represents a fundamental failure in the principle of least privilege and proper security hygiene, as it eliminates the need for complex attack vectors that would otherwise be required to obtain database access. This vulnerability directly contradicts security best practices outlined in standards such as NIST SP 800-53, which emphasizes the importance of protecting sensitive information through proper encryption and access controls.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-0199 should prioritize immediate upgrade to version 3.3.3 or later of the rhevm-reports package, which addresses the cleartext credential storage issue through proper encryption or secure credential handling mechanisms. Organizations should implement additional security controls including file system access restrictions on sensitive configuration files, regular security auditing of system components, and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to credential storage locations. The remediation process should also include comprehensive credential rotation for any systems where the vulnerability was present, ensuring that compromised credentials are invalidated and replaced with new secure credentials. System administrators should conduct thorough security assessments of virtualization environments to identify any additional instances of cleartext credential storage and implement proper encryption mechanisms for all sensitive configuration data. Regular security training for system administrators and developers should emphasize secure coding practices and proper credential management to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future deployments.