CVE-2016-0889 in Unisphere for VMAX Virtual Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
An HTTP servlet in vApp Manager in EMC Unisphere for VMAX Virtual Appliance before 8.2.0 allows remote attackers to write to arbitrary files via a crafted pathname.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0889 resides within the vApp Manager component of EMC Unisphere for VMAX Virtual Appliance, specifically affecting versions prior to 8.2.0. This issue manifests as a directory traversal vulnerability that enables remote attackers to manipulate file system operations through crafted HTTP requests. The affected HTTP servlet processes user-supplied pathnames without adequate validation, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged for arbitrary file write operations.
This vulnerability represents a classic directory traversal flaw that falls under CWE-22, which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory. The technical implementation allows attackers to construct malicious pathnames that bypass normal file system access controls, enabling them to write files to locations outside the intended application directories. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the HTTP servlet level, meaning that remote attackers can exploit it without requiring local system access or authentication credentials. The flaw essentially allows an attacker to manipulate the application's file system operations by crafting specific pathname parameters that are processed by the vulnerable servlet.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized file creation. Attackers can potentially write malicious files to critical system directories, modify existing application files, or even inject code that could lead to complete system compromise. The remote nature of the attack means that an attacker can exploit this vulnerability from anywhere on the network, provided they can reach the affected appliance. This creates a significant risk for organizations that deploy the affected appliance in accessible network segments or fail to implement proper network segmentation controls. The vulnerability could enable attackers to establish persistent access, escalate privileges, or cause denial of service conditions by overwriting critical system files.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to EMC Unisphere for VMAX Virtual Appliance version 8.2.0 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Network segmentation should be enforced to limit access to the appliance to authorized personnel only, and firewalls should be configured to restrict access to the appliance's management interfaces. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious file system operations can help detect exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary code through file injection, and T1566 for spearphishing with a malicious attachment, as attackers might leverage this vulnerability to deploy malicious payloads that persist on the system. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other components of the Unisphere platform or related systems that might be susceptible to similar path traversal attacks.