CVE-2015-1890 in General Parallel File System
Summary
by MITRE
/usr/lpp/mmfs/bin/gpfs.snap in IBM General Parallel File System (GPFS) 4.1 before 4.1.0.7 produces an archive potentially containing cleartext keys, and lacks a warning about reviewing this archive to detect included keys, which might allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information by leveraging access to a technical-support data stream.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/17/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1890 affects IBM General Parallel File System version 4.1 before 4.1.0.7 and specifically involves the gpfs.snap utility located at /usr/lpp/mmfs/bin/gpfs.snap. This utility is designed to collect technical support data from GPFS systems for diagnostic purposes. The flaw stems from inadequate security controls during the archiving process where the utility generates archives that may contain cleartext cryptographic keys and other sensitive information without proper warnings or safeguards to alert administrators about the potential exposure of confidential data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the gpfs.snap utility's data collection and packaging mechanisms. When the utility executes, it gathers various system diagnostics and configuration information from GPFS environments, including potentially sensitive data such as encryption keys, authentication credentials, and other security-related parameters. The flaw manifests because the utility does not properly sanitize or warn about the inclusion of cleartext keys within the generated archive files. This represents a direct violation of security best practices and fails to adhere to the principle of least privilege and data minimization principles that are fundamental to secure system design.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations relying on IBM GPFS for their storage infrastructure. Remote attackers who gain access to the technical-support data stream or can somehow obtain the generated archives can extract cleartext keys that may provide unauthorized access to encrypted data, authentication mechanisms, or other security-critical components within the GPFS environment. This exposure could lead to data breaches, unauthorized access to sensitive information, and potential compromise of the entire storage system. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the system administration level where such tools are expected to maintain strict security boundaries and prevent inadvertent exposure of sensitive materials.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and CWE-200 (Information Exposure) categories, reflecting the core issue of storing and transmitting sensitive data in an unencrypted format. The flaw also relates to ATT&CK technique T1552.001 (Unsecured Credentials) and T1005 (Data from Local System) as it involves the improper handling of credentials and sensitive system data. Organizations using affected GPFS versions should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to the patched version 4.1.0.7 or later, implementing strict access controls over the gpfs.snap utility and generated archives, and conducting thorough reviews of existing archives for potential key exposure. Additionally, system administrators should establish procedures for reviewing and sanitizing technical support data before sharing it externally, and consider implementing automated scanning tools to detect sensitive information within generated archives. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure configuration management and proper data handling practices in enterprise storage systems where the exposure of cryptographic keys can have far-reaching security implications across the entire infrastructure.