CVE-2014-9247 in Zenoss
Summary
by MITRE
Zenoss Core through 5 Beta 3 allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive (1) user account, (2) e-mail address, and (3) role information by visiting the ZenUsers (aka User Manager) page, aka ZEN-15389.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/20/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9247 affects Zenoss Core versions through 5 Beta 3, representing a significant information disclosure flaw that undermines the security posture of the platform. This issue manifests through the ZenUsers (User Manager) page, which is accessible to authenticated users who have already established a session within the system. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and improper authorization checks within the user management interface, allowing attackers with legitimate credentials to extract sensitive user account information that should remain protected. The flaw specifically enables unauthorized disclosure of three critical data elements including user account details, email addresses, and role assignments, which collectively provide attackers with valuable intelligence for further exploitation attempts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a lack of proper input validation and access control mechanisms within the ZenUsers page functionality. When authenticated users navigate to this specific page, the application fails to properly verify whether the requesting user has appropriate privileges to view the complete user information set. This represents a classic case of insufficient authorization checking, which falls under the CWE-285 category of improper authorization within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework. The vulnerability operates at the application logic level where the system assumes that authenticated users can access all user-related information without additional privilege verification, creating an information leak that directly violates the principle of least privilege. Attackers can exploit this by simply accessing the designated URL path that corresponds to the User Manager page, bypassing normal access restrictions that should prevent unauthorized information disclosure.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-9247 extends beyond simple data exposure, as the leaked information provides attackers with critical reconnaissance data that can facilitate more sophisticated attacks. The disclosure of user account names, email addresses, and role assignments creates a comprehensive profile of the system's user base that can be leveraged for targeted social engineering campaigns, credential stuffing attacks, or privilege escalation attempts. The email addresses obtained through this vulnerability can be used for phishing operations, while the role information reveals the administrative hierarchy and access levels within the system. This information disclosure vulnerability directly aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1087.001 for account discovery, as it enables adversaries to map out user accounts and their associated permissions within the targeted environment. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning for organizations that rely on Zenoss Core for monitoring and management purposes, as it exposes the very user accounts that are responsible for system administration and operational oversight.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations to address the information disclosure risk. The primary remediation involves applying the vendor-supplied patch or upgrade to a version that properly implements access controls for the User Manager page. Additionally, administrators should review and tighten the access controls for user management interfaces, ensuring that users can only view information relevant to their own accounts or roles. Network segmentation and monitoring should be implemented to detect unusual access patterns to user management pages, while regular security audits should verify that proper authorization checks are in place. The vulnerability highlights the importance of implementing defense-in-depth strategies, as the lack of proper access controls in one area of the application can lead to widespread information exposure. Security teams should also consider implementing automated scanning tools that can detect similar access control flaws in other applications within their environment, as this type of vulnerability is frequently encountered in enterprise software platforms where user management interfaces are not properly secured.