CVE-2014-9354 in OnCommand Balance
Summary
by MITRE
NetApp OnCommand Balance before 4.2P3 allows local users to obtain sensitive information via unspecified vectors related to cleartext storage.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/28/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-9354 affects NetApp OnCommand Balance versions prior to 4.2P3 and represents a significant security weakness related to improper handling of sensitive data. This issue falls under the broader category of information disclosure vulnerabilities where sensitive information is stored in cleartext format, making it accessible to local users who should not have such privileges. The vulnerability stems from inadequate data protection mechanisms within the application's storage architecture, creating opportunities for unauthorized information access that could compromise system security.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's failure to properly encrypt or obfuscate sensitive data during storage operations, specifically within the cleartext storage mechanisms. This weakness allows local users to access information that should remain protected, potentially including authentication credentials, configuration details, or other confidential system data. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple pathways exist for exploitation, indicating a systemic issue rather than a single point of failure. The cleartext storage approach violates fundamental security principles and creates a persistent risk that remains active as long as the vulnerable version remains in use.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability significantly weakens the security posture of systems running affected NetApp OnCommand Balance versions. Local users who gain access to cleartext stored information can potentially escalate their privileges, conduct unauthorized system modifications, or extract sensitive configuration data that could aid in further attacks. The vulnerability creates a persistent backdoor that may remain undetected for extended periods, as the cleartext storage approach does not provide any inherent protection against unauthorized access attempts. This weakness directly impacts the confidentiality aspect of the CIA triad and can lead to cascading security failures throughout the network infrastructure.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and represents a classic example of poor data protection implementation in enterprise storage management solutions. Organizations using affected versions face potential compliance violations with security standards such as pci dss, hipaa, and iso 27001, which mandate proper protection of sensitive information. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1552.001 (Credentials in Files) and T1003.001 (OS Credential Dumping), as local access to cleartext information can facilitate credential theft and system compromise. The risk is particularly elevated in environments where local user access is not properly restricted or monitored, creating opportunities for both malicious insiders and external attackers who gain local access to the system.
Organizations should immediately implement the vendor-provided patch for NetApp OnCommand Balance 4.2P3 or higher to address this vulnerability. System administrators should conduct comprehensive audits of all stored sensitive information to identify and remediate similar cleartext storage issues throughout their infrastructure. Additional mitigations include implementing proper access controls, monitoring local user activities, and ensuring that all sensitive data is encrypted both at rest and in transit. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify and address similar vulnerabilities in other enterprise applications, particularly those handling authentication credentials or system configuration data. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper data protection mechanisms and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of storage and management applications.