CVE-2016-6645 in Unisphere for VMAX Virtual Appliance
Summary
by MITRE
The vApp Managers web application in EMC Unisphere for VMAX Virtual Appliance 8.x before 8.3.0 and Solutions Enabler Virtual Appliance 8.x before 8.3.0 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code via crafted input to the (1) GeneralCmdRequest, (2) PersistantDataRequest, or (3) GetCommandExecRequest class.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6645 represents a critical remote code execution flaw within EMC Unisphere for VMAX Virtual Appliance and Solutions Enabler Virtual Appliance versions 8.x prior to 8.3.0. This vulnerability exists within the vApp Managers web application component that serves as the primary interface for managing virtual storage environments. The affected systems operate under the assumption that authenticated users can be trusted, creating a dangerous privilege escalation scenario where legitimate access can be weaponized to achieve arbitrary code execution on the underlying system. The vulnerability specifically targets three distinct request classes within the web application's communication framework, each representing different attack vectors that can be exploited by authenticated users with appropriate privileges. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's processing logic, allowing maliciously crafted payloads to bypass security controls and execute unintended commands with the privileges of the web application process.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of improper validation of user-supplied input within the GeneralCmdRequest, PersistantDataRequest, and GetCommandExecRequest classes. These request handlers process incoming data from authenticated users without sufficient sanitization, enabling attackers to inject malicious code that gets executed within the application context. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-74, which describes "Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component," and CWE-94, which addresses "Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')." Attackers can leverage this weakness to execute arbitrary commands on the target system, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The attack requires only authenticated access to the web interface, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by insiders or compromised legitimate users. The exploitation process typically involves crafting specially formatted requests that contain malicious payloads designed to bypass the application's input validation mechanisms and directly invoke system commands through the vulnerable request classes.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-6645 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass full system compromise and potential data breaches within enterprise storage environments. Organizations utilizing affected EMC appliances face significant risk as authenticated attackers can gain root-level access to the underlying operating systems, potentially enabling them to access sensitive storage data, modify system configurations, install backdoors, or disrupt storage operations. The vulnerability affects critical infrastructure components that manage virtualized storage environments, making it particularly attractive to threat actors targeting enterprise IT infrastructure. The impact is amplified by the fact that these appliances often operate in privileged network segments with access to critical storage resources, potentially providing attackers with lateral movement capabilities and access to sensitive enterprise data. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1068 for Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, representing the attack paths that threat actors can utilize to achieve their objectives. Organizations with multiple affected appliances face cascading risks where compromise of one system can lead to broader infrastructure penetration.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-6645 require immediate implementation of the vendor-provided security patches and updates to version 8.3.0 or later. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to the affected appliances to only authorized administrative personnel and establish strict access controls using multi-factor authentication. The security posture should include regular monitoring of system logs for suspicious activity and implementation of intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts. Network access controls should be configured to restrict access to the appliance web interfaces from untrusted networks and implement least privilege access models where possible. System administrators should conduct regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities within the broader infrastructure. The remediation process must include comprehensive testing of patches in non-production environments before deployment to ensure operational stability. Organizations should also implement network monitoring solutions capable of detecting anomalous traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on unusual command execution patterns within the storage management interfaces. Regular security awareness training for administrators can help prevent credential compromise scenarios that could lead to exploitation of this vulnerability.