CVE-2016-3064 in Clustered Data ONTAP
Summary
by MITRE
NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP before 8.2.4P4 and 8.3.x before 8.3.2P2 allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive cluster and tenant information via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/05/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3064 affects NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP systems running versions prior to 8.2.4P4 and 8.3.x prior to 8.3.2P2. This issue represents a significant information disclosure flaw that enables remote authenticated attackers to access sensitive cluster and tenant data through unspecified vectors within the system. The vulnerability resides in the way the clustered data ontap system handles authentication and authorization processes, potentially allowing attackers who have valid credentials to escalate their access and extract confidential information from the storage infrastructure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves improper access controls and information leakage mechanisms within the NetApp clustered environment. Attackers with legitimate authentication credentials can exploit this weakness to gather sensitive information about the cluster configuration, tenant data, and potentially other system components that should remain confidential. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE category of information disclosure through improper access control mechanisms, specifically CWE-200 which addresses "Information Exposure" and CWE-284 which deals with "Improper Access Control." The flaw demonstrates a failure in implementing proper security boundaries and data isolation within the clustered storage environment, allowing authenticated users to access information beyond their intended scope.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-3064 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the leaked cluster and tenant information could provide attackers with valuable intelligence for subsequent attacks. This information might include system configurations, user account details, storage topology, and other sensitive data that could be leveraged to plan more sophisticated attacks. The vulnerability affects organizations using NetApp clustered storage solutions, potentially exposing them to increased risk of data breaches, system compromise, and unauthorized access to critical storage infrastructure. The remote nature of the attack means that attackers do not require physical access to the system, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in networked environments where authentication credentials might be compromised through various means.
Organizations should immediately implement the vendor-provided patches and updates to address this vulnerability, specifically upgrading to NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP versions 8.2.4P4 or 8.3.2P2 and later. Security teams should also conduct thorough audits of their NetApp systems to identify any unauthorized access attempts that might have occurred during the vulnerability window. The remediation process should include reviewing access controls, implementing proper network segmentation, and ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to sensitive system information. Additionally, organizations should enhance their monitoring capabilities to detect unusual access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to credential access and reconnaissance, as attackers could use the leaked information to better understand the target environment and plan further attacks. The incident underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing robust access control policies within enterprise storage environments to prevent unauthorized information disclosure.