CVE-2014-9353 in OnCommand Balance
Summary
by MITRE
NetApp OnCommand Balance before 4.2P2 contains a "default privileged account," which allows remote attackers to gain privileges via unspecified vectors.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9353 affects NetApp OnCommand Balance versions prior to 4.2P2 and represents a critical security flaw involving a default privileged account configuration. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of weak authentication and default credentials issues that have been consistently documented in cybersecurity frameworks including CWE-798 and CWE-259. The presence of default privileged accounts in network management systems creates inherent risks that can be exploited by unauthorized users to gain elevated access to critical infrastructure components.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the inclusion of hardcoded administrative credentials within the NetApp OnCommand Balance software that remain unchanged after installation. These default accounts typically possess full administrative privileges and are designed to provide initial access for system configuration and management purposes. However, when these accounts are not properly secured or disabled after initial setup, they create persistent attack vectors that remote adversaries can leverage. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that the attack surface may include network-based exploitation, potentially through unencrypted communication channels or weak authentication mechanisms that allow credential replay attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential system compromise and data breaches. Attackers who successfully exploit this default privileged account can execute arbitrary commands, modify system configurations, access sensitive data, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the network infrastructure. This vulnerability directly impacts the CIA triad by compromising confidentiality through unauthorized data access, integrity through potential system modification, and availability through possible denial of service scenarios. Organizations using affected versions of OnCommand Balance face significant risks as these default accounts can be discovered through automated scanning tools and common credential databases, making the exploitation relatively straightforward for threat actors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-9353 should focus on immediate remediation through the application of the vendor-provided patch or upgrade to version 4.2P2 and later. System administrators must ensure that default accounts are disabled or have their credentials changed to strong, unique passwords immediately upon system deployment. Network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit exposure of management interfaces to trusted networks only. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should include verification of default account status and credential strength. The remediation process aligns with the ATT&CK framework's mitigation strategies for credential access and privilege escalation techniques, emphasizing the importance of account management and access control policies. Organizations should also implement monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts and establish incident response procedures to address potential exploitation of this vulnerability.