CVE-2016-6820 in Clustered Data ONTAP
Summary
by MITRE
MetroCluster Tiebreaker for clustered Data ONTAP in versions before 1.2 discloses sensitive information in cleartext which may be viewed by an unauthenticated user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6820 affects MetroCluster Tiebreaker functionality within clustered Data ONTAP systems prior to version 1.2. This security flaw represents a critical information disclosure issue that compromises the confidentiality of sensitive data transmitted within storage network environments. The vulnerability specifically impacts the communication protocols used by the MetroCluster Tiebreaker component, which serves as a critical decision-making element in high-availability storage configurations. Organizations relying on clustered Data ONTAP for mission-critical data protection face significant risks when operating vulnerable versions of the software.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper encryption handling within the MetroCluster Tiebreaker communication channels. Sensitive information including authentication credentials, system configurations, and operational parameters are transmitted in cleartext format rather than being properly encrypted during network transmission. This cleartext exposure occurs at multiple layers of the communication stack, affecting both control plane and data plane communications between cluster nodes and the tiebreaker component. The flaw essentially creates a man-in-the-middle attack vector where unauthorized network actors can intercept and read sensitive data without requiring authentication or authorization. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-312, which specifically addresses the exposure of sensitive information through cleartext transmission, and represents a direct violation of secure communication protocols mandated by industry standards.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-6820 extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks within storage network environments. An unauthenticated attacker with network access to the affected systems can exploit this vulnerability to gain insights into the internal network topology, system configurations, and potentially extract credentials that could be used for further attacks. The exposure of sensitive data in cleartext creates opportunities for privilege escalation, lateral movement, and comprehensive system compromise within the storage infrastructure. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations using clustered Data ONTAP for disaster recovery and high-availability solutions, where the tiebreaker component plays a crucial role in maintaining system integrity. The impact is amplified in environments where network segmentation is inadequate or where the affected systems are exposed to untrusted network segments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-6820 should prioritize immediate implementation of the vendor-provided security patches and updates to clustered Data ONTAP versions 1.2 and later. Organizations should also implement network segmentation controls to isolate the MetroCluster Tiebreaker communication channels from untrusted network segments, effectively reducing the attack surface. Network monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should conduct comprehensive network audits to identify all instances of vulnerable clustered Data ONTAP systems and ensure proper encryption protocols are enforced. The remediation process should also include reviewing and strengthening access controls for storage management interfaces, as the vulnerability creates opportunities for unauthorized access to sensitive system information. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies that protect against information disclosure attacks at multiple network layers. Organizations should also consider implementing network access controls and encryption protocols that align with NIST SP 800-53 security controls and the MITRE ATT&CK framework's information gathering techniques.