CVE-2016-5302 in XenServer
Summary
by MITRE
Citrix XenServer 7.0 before Hotfix XS70E003, when a deployment has been upgraded from an earlier release, might allow remote attackers on the management network to "compromise" a host by leveraging credentials for an Active Directory account.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5302 affects Citrix XenServer 7.0 systems that have been upgraded from previous versions and are configured with Active Directory integration. This security flaw represents a critical authentication bypass issue that could enable remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to host systems through the management network. The vulnerability specifically targets environments where XenServer has undergone a migration process from older releases, creating a persistent security weakness that remains exploitable even after the upgrade to version 7.0.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper credential handling during the upgrade process from earlier XenServer versions. When systems are upgraded from pre-7.0 releases, the authentication mechanisms fail to properly invalidate or reset the credentials associated with Active Directory accounts that were previously configured for management access. This creates a scenario where attacker-controlled credentials can persist and be leveraged to compromise the host system. The flaw operates at the authentication layer and specifically affects the management network interface, making it particularly dangerous for environments where administrative access is network-reachable.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it could enable attackers to escalate privileges and potentially compromise the entire virtualization infrastructure. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain control over virtual machines, manipulate host configurations, and potentially establish persistent access to the management network. This represents a significant threat to enterprise environments that rely on Citrix XenServer for virtual machine orchestration and management. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not need physical access to the systems and can potentially target multiple hosts within the management network simultaneously.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the recommended hotfix XS70E003 provided by Citrix to resolve the credential handling issue. Additional mitigations include implementing network segmentation to isolate management interfaces from untrusted networks, enforcing strict access controls for Active Directory accounts used in virtualization environments, and conducting thorough inventory audits to identify all affected systems. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication, and could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential access, highlighting the multi-faceted nature of the security risk. Regular security assessments should be conducted to ensure that upgrade processes properly handle credential transitions and that no legacy authentication mechanisms remain active in upgraded environments.