CVE-2014-3489 in CloudForms 3.0 Management Engine
Summary
by MITRE
lib/util/miq-password.rb in Red Hat CloudForms 3.0 Management Engine (CFME) before 5.2.4.2 uses a hard-coded salt, which makes it easier for remote attackers to guess passwords via a brute force attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/24/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3489 resides within the Red Hat CloudForms 3.0 Management Engine authentication framework, specifically in the password handling mechanism located at lib/util/miq-password.rb. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that directly impacts the system's ability to securely store and verify user credentials. The vulnerability stems from the implementation of a cryptographic function that employs a hard-coded salt value instead of generating unique salt per password, creating a predictable and exploitable pattern in the password hashing process.
The technical flaw manifests in the password encryption routine where a fixed salt value is consistently used across all password hashing operations. This design choice fundamentally undermines the security properties of the hashing algorithm by eliminating the randomness that cryptographic salts are designed to provide. When salts are static rather than unique per password, attackers can perform pre-computed rainbow table attacks or conduct efficient brute force operations against multiple password hashes simultaneously, as the same hash values will be generated for identical passwords regardless of the user account. This weakness aligns with CWE-327, which specifically addresses the use of weak cryptographic algorithms and improper implementation of cryptographic functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential guessing, as it provides attackers with a significant advantage in password recovery attacks. Remote adversaries can leverage the predictable hashing pattern to efficiently test common password combinations against multiple user accounts, dramatically reducing the computational resources and time required for successful authentication bypass. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where multiple users share similar password patterns, as the hard-coded salt eliminates the entropy that would normally be introduced by unique salt values. The attack vector is particularly concerning in cloud management environments where unauthorized access could lead to complete system compromise and data breaches.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper salt generation mechanisms within the password handling framework. Organizations should upgrade to Red Hat CloudForms 5.2.4.2 or later versions where the hard-coded salt has been replaced with dynamically generated unique salts for each password hash. Additionally, system administrators should conduct comprehensive password audits and enforce strong password policies that include complexity requirements and regular rotation schedules. The implementation should follow established cryptographic best practices including the use of cryptographically secure random number generators for salt creation and consideration of stronger hashing algorithms such as bcrypt, scrypt, or Argon2. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper cryptographic implementation and the dangers of relying on hardcoded values in security-sensitive components, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1110.003 for credential access through brute force attacks.