CVE-2014-9736 in Healthcare Centricity Clinical Archive Audit Trail Repository
Summary
by MITRE
GE Healthcare Centricity Clinical Archive Audit Trail Repository has a default password of initinit for the (1) SSL key manager and (2) server keystore; (3) keystore_password for the server truststore; and atna for the (4) primary storage database and (5) archive storage database, which has unspecified impact and attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2017
The CVE-2014-9736 vulnerability affects GE Healthcare Centricity Clinical Archive Audit Trail Repository, a critical component in healthcare information systems that manages audit trails for clinical data. This vulnerability represents a fundamental security flaw in the system's default configuration, where multiple critical components are initialized with weak, predictable credentials that remain unchanged in production environments. The vulnerability specifically targets four distinct authentication mechanisms within the system including SSL key manager, server keystore, server truststore, and two database storage components, each configured with default passwords that are well-known and easily exploitable by threat actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from poor security practices in software design and deployment, where default credentials are not properly disabled or changed during installation. The default passwords include initinit for SSL key manager and server keystore, keystore_password for truststore, and atna for both primary and archive storage databases. These credentials represent a significant weakness in the principle of least privilege and demonstrate inadequate secure configuration management. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-798 as the use of hard-coded credentials, and it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts, as attackers can leverage these default credentials to establish persistent access to the system. The weakness in default credential management directly impacts the system's confidentiality, integrity, and availability by providing unauthorized access to audit trail data and underlying storage systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can lead to complete system compromise and data breaches in healthcare environments. Attackers who successfully exploit these default credentials can manipulate audit trails, potentially covering up malicious activities while gaining access to sensitive patient information stored in the clinical archive. The unspecified attack vectors suggest that this vulnerability could be exploited through multiple entry points including network-based attacks, physical access, or even social engineering to gain initial access to the system. The compromise of audit trail repositories is particularly concerning in healthcare settings where audit logs are critical for compliance with regulations such as HIPAA, and the ability to manipulate these logs undermines the entire security framework of the clinical information system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-9736 require immediate action to address the default credential exposure. Organizations must implement mandatory credential rotation during system installation and deployment, ensuring that default passwords are changed to strong, unique values for each component. The security configuration should include automated checks to verify that default credentials have been changed and that all authentication mechanisms use robust password policies. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of these systems, while regular security audits should verify that no default credentials remain active. The implementation of secure configuration management processes, as recommended by NIST SP 800-53 controls, should be enforced to prevent the recurrence of such vulnerabilities in future deployments. Additionally, system administrators should implement monitoring and alerting mechanisms to detect unauthorized access attempts using default credentials, and regular security training should be provided to ensure that personnel understand the critical importance of changing default passwords during system initialization.