CVE-2016-4341 in Clustered Data ONTAP
Summary
by MITRE
NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP before 8.3.2P7 allows remote attackers to obtain SMB share information via unspecified vectors.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-4341 affects NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP versions prior to 8.3.2P7, representing a significant information disclosure flaw within the SMB (Server Message Block) protocol implementation. This vulnerability enables remote attackers to obtain sensitive SMB share information without authentication, potentially exposing critical network resources and file sharing configurations to unauthorized parties. The unspecified vectors suggest that the attack could be executed through various pathways within the SMB service architecture, making the vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations relying on NetApp storage systems for their data infrastructure.
The technical flaw resides in the improper handling of SMB share enumeration requests within the Clustered Data ONTAP system, where the software fails to adequately validate or restrict access to share information. This weakness allows attackers to perform SMB share discovery operations that reveal details about available shares, including share names, permissions, and potentially the underlying file system structure. The vulnerability operates at the application layer, leveraging the SMB protocol's inherent functionality to enumerate resources while bypassing normal authentication mechanisms. This type of information disclosure vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which categorizes weaknesses related to information exposure, and represents a classic example of insufficient access control in network services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information gathering, as the disclosed SMB share information could serve as a foundation for more sophisticated attacks. Attackers could use the obtained share details to plan targeted attacks against specific resources, identify potential entry points for further exploitation, or conduct reconnaissance for privilege escalation attempts. Organizations may experience unauthorized access to sensitive data repositories, compromised file sharing configurations, and potential lateral movement within their network infrastructure. The vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments where NetApp systems are deployed for file sharing and storage management, potentially exposing critical business data to unauthorized access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-4341 should prioritize immediate patching of affected NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP systems to version 8.3.2P7 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Network administrators should implement firewall rules to restrict access to SMB ports (typically TCP 445 and UDP 137-138) from untrusted networks, while also configuring proper access controls and monitoring for unusual SMB share enumeration activities. Additional defensive measures include disabling unnecessary SMB services, implementing network segmentation, and conducting regular security assessments of storage infrastructure. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access and reconnaissance, specifically T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1046 (Network Service Scanning), making it a critical component in the initial phases of network infiltration. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems capable of identifying anomalous SMB traffic patterns and establishing comprehensive monitoring protocols to detect potential exploitation attempts.