CVE-2016-6034 in Tivoli Storage Manager for Virtual Environments
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Tivoli Storage Manager for Virtual Environments (VMware) could disclose the Windows domain credentials to a user with a high level of privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6034 affects IBM Tivoli Storage Manager for Virtual Environments specifically when integrated with VMware environments. This security flaw represents a critical information disclosure vulnerability that could potentially compromise sensitive authentication credentials within enterprise storage management systems. The vulnerability arises from insufficient access controls and privilege validation mechanisms within the Tivoli Storage Manager component that manages virtual environments, creating an avenue for unauthorized credential exposure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of authentication contexts within the VMware integration layer of IBM Tivoli Storage Manager. When privileged users interact with the system, the application fails to properly validate and restrict access to domain credential information, allowing high-privileged users to extract Windows domain credentials through unauthorized access paths. This flaw operates at the intersection of storage management and virtualization environments, where the boundary between different privilege levels becomes compromised. The vulnerability specifically impacts systems where Tivoli Storage Manager is configured to manage VMware virtual environments, making it particularly relevant to organizations utilizing hybrid storage and virtualization infrastructures.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-6034 extends beyond simple credential disclosure, as it creates potential for lateral movement within enterprise networks and escalation of privileges. Once an attacker gains access to Windows domain credentials through this vulnerability, they can potentially authenticate to other systems within the domain, leveraging the compromised credentials for unauthorized access to additional resources. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on IBM Tivoli Storage Manager for managing their virtualized environments, particularly those with complex storage architectures that integrate multiple VMware virtual machines. This creates a significant risk for enterprises where storage management systems are positioned as critical infrastructure components with elevated access privileges.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant IBM security patches and updates to address the privilege validation issues within the Tivoli Storage Manager component. Network segmentation and access control policies should be reviewed to limit the exposure of storage management systems to unauthorized users. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Issues, specifically related to insufficient access control validation, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts for credential compromise and persistence. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous access patterns to storage management systems, particularly around credential access and privilege escalation activities. System administrators should conduct thorough access reviews and implement the principle of least privilege to minimize the potential impact of such vulnerabilities within their environments.