CVE-2016-5411 in QuickStart Cloud Installer
Summary
by MITRE
/var/lib/ovirt-engine/setup/engine-DC-config.py in Red Hat QuickStart Cloud Installer (QCI) before 1.0 GA is created world readable and contains the root password of the deployed system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5411 represents a critical security flaw within the Red Hat QuickStart Cloud Installer (QCI) platform, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.0 GA. This issue resides in the engine-DC-config.py script located within the /var/lib/ovirt-engine/setup directory, which serves as a crucial component for configuring distributed computing environments. The flaw manifests through improper file permissions that result in the creation of a world-readable configuration file, thereby exposing sensitive authentication credentials to unauthorized users within the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access control mechanisms during the installation process of the QCI platform. The engine-DC-config.py script, when executed as part of the automated setup procedure, generates a configuration file that is subsequently made accessible to all users on the system without proper authentication or authorization checks. This misconfiguration creates a persistent security risk where the root password of the deployed system becomes publicly accessible through simple file read operations, effectively providing any local user or attacker with unrestricted administrative access to the entire system.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe threat to system integrity and confidentiality, as it directly enables privilege escalation attacks and unauthorized system compromise. The exposure of root credentials through a world-readable file violates fundamental security principles and creates an immediate attack vector for malicious actors who may exploit this weakness to gain complete control over the deployed infrastructure. The impact extends beyond individual system compromise to potentially affect entire cloud deployments where multiple systems may be configured using the same vulnerable installer.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-732, which addresses incorrect permission assignment for critical resources, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege. From an adversarial perspective, this flaw maps to several ATT&CK techniques including credential access through file system access and privilege escalation, making it particularly dangerous in environments where security monitoring may not detect the presence of such misconfigurations. Organizations deploying systems using vulnerable versions of the QCI installer face significant risk of unauthorized access and potential data breaches.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-5411 require immediate implementation of proper file permission controls and access management protocols. System administrators should ensure that all configuration files containing sensitive information are properly secured with restrictive permissions, typically limiting access to root or designated administrative users only. The recommended remediation involves updating to Red Hat QuickStart Cloud Installer version 1.0 GA or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the improper file permissions issue. Additionally, organizations should implement regular security audits to identify and remediate similar misconfigurations across their infrastructure, while establishing automated monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive system files.