CVE-2014-0646 in RSA Access Manager
Summary
by MITRE
The runtime WS component in the server in EMC RSA Access Manager 6.1.3 before 6.1.3.39, 6.1.4 before 6.1.4.22, 6.2.0 before 6.2.0.11, and 6.2.1 before 6.2.1.03, when INFO logging is enabled, allows local users to discover cleartext passwords by reading log files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0646 represents a critical security flaw in the EMC RSA Access Manager authentication system that exposes sensitive credential information through improper logging practices. This issue affects multiple versions of the RSA Access Manager server runtime components, specifically targeting versions 6.1.3 through 6.1.3.39, 6.1.4 through 6.1.4.22, 6.2.0 through 6.2.0.11, and 6.2.1 through 6.2.1.03. The vulnerability stems from the system's configuration where INFO level logging is enabled, creating an unintended information disclosure channel that compromises the security of authentication processes.
The technical flaw manifests when the RSA Access Manager server operates with INFO level logging enabled, causing the system to write cleartext passwords to log files that are accessible to local users. This represents a fundamental failure in information security design where sensitive authentication data is not properly protected during the logging process. The vulnerability is classified as a weakness in the logging mechanism that violates standard security practices for handling sensitive information, aligning with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and CWE-532 (Information Exposure Through Log Files). The flaw occurs at the runtime WS component level where authentication credentials are processed and subsequently logged without adequate obfuscation or encryption.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides local attackers with direct access to cleartext passwords that would otherwise remain protected within the authentication system. This creates an elevated privilege escalation scenario where local users can obtain authentication credentials for various system components, potentially enabling them to access restricted resources, perform unauthorized operations, or escalate their privileges within the system. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it does not require network access or complex exploitation techniques, making it accessible to any user with local system access. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1566 (Phishing) where the compromised credentials can be used for further attacks, and T1003 (OS Credential Dumping) where the cleartext credentials can be directly extracted and utilized.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of several security controls and configuration changes. The primary recommendation is to disable INFO level logging for authentication-related components or ensure that sensitive information is properly obfuscated in log files through the use of masking or tokenization techniques. System administrators should implement proper log file access controls using discretionary access control mechanisms to restrict local user access to sensitive log files. Additionally, organizations should deploy centralized log management solutions with proper log filtering and monitoring capabilities to detect and alert on credential exposure attempts. The implementation of encryption for log files and the adoption of secure logging practices that comply with NIST SP 800-92 guidelines for log management would significantly reduce the risk of credential exposure. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to ensure that logging configurations remain secure and that no new information disclosure channels are introduced through system updates or configuration changes.