CVE-2016-5372 in Snap Creator Framework
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in NetApp Snap Creator Framework before 4.3.0P1 allows remote attackers to hijack the authentication of users for requests that have unspecified impact via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2020
The CVE-2016-5372 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw within the NetApp Snap Creator Framework version 4.3.0P1 and earlier releases. This vulnerability exposes the framework to unauthorized manipulation by malicious actors who can exploit the lack of proper authentication verification mechanisms. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of request origins and the absence of anti-CSRF tokens in the framework's web-based interfaces and APIs, creating a pathway for attackers to execute unauthorized actions on behalf of authenticated users. The unspecified impact vectors indicate that the vulnerability could potentially enable a wide range of malicious activities including data manipulation, system configuration changes, or privilege escalation within the affected environment.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability lies in the framework's failure to enforce proper session management and request integrity checks. When users authenticate to the Snap Creator Framework interface, their session tokens become vulnerable to exploitation because the system does not adequately verify that requests originate from legitimate sources. This weakness allows attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to come from authenticated users, leveraging the existing session cookies or authentication tokens to perform unauthorized operations. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the core authentication mechanisms of the framework, potentially enabling attackers to manipulate backup configurations, access sensitive data, or compromise the integrity of the storage management environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can severely compromise the security posture of organizations relying on NetApp Snap Creator Framework for their backup and recovery operations. Attackers could potentially manipulate backup schedules, alter storage configurations, or gain access to sensitive backup data that could be exploited for further attacks within the network. The remote nature of the exploitation means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or local network presence, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in cloud environments or when the framework is exposed to untrusted networks. Organizations using this framework may experience data integrity issues, unauthorized system modifications, and potential compliance violations due to the exposure of sensitive backup and recovery operations.
Organizations should immediately implement the vendor-provided patch for NetApp Snap Creator Framework version 4.3.0P1 to address this vulnerability. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive network segmentation to limit access to the framework's administrative interfaces, implementation of additional authentication layers, and regular security assessments of the backup and recovery infrastructure. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns of requests that could indicate CSRF attacks, and security teams should establish incident response procedures specifically addressing this class of vulnerability. The remediation process should also include reviewing and updating access controls, ensuring that only authorized personnel have administrative access to the framework, and implementing multi-factor authentication where possible. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery weaknesses, and represents a significant concern from an attacker's perspective as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's web application exploitation techniques, particularly focusing on credential access and privilege escalation through web-based attacks.