CVE-2016-7047 in CloudForms API
Summary
by MITRE
A flaw was found in the CloudForms API before 5.6.3.0, 5.7.3.1 and 5.8.1.2. A user with permissions to use the MiqReportResults capability within the API could potentially view data from other tenants or groups to which they should not have access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/08/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7047 represents a critical access control flaw within the CloudForms management platform API. This issue affects versions prior to 5.6.3.0, 5.7.3.1, and 5.8.1.2, where proper tenant isolation mechanisms fail to prevent unauthorized data access across multi-tenant environments. The flaw specifically impacts the MiqReportResults capability, which is designed to provide reporting functionality within the CloudForms ecosystem. When exploited, this vulnerability allows authenticated users with specific API permissions to bypass normal access controls and retrieve sensitive data belonging to other tenants or groups within the same system instance.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and insufficient authorization checks within the API layer. The CloudForms platform implements a multi-tenant architecture where different organizations or departments are supposed to be isolated from each other, but the MiqReportResults endpoint fails to properly enforce these isolation boundaries. This weakness creates a path for privilege escalation through data leakage, where a malicious user can craft API requests that traverse the normal tenant boundaries. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-284, which specifically addresses improper access control, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.101 related to valid accounts with restricted access. The flaw demonstrates a classic case of insufficient privilege separation where the API does not properly validate whether the requesting user has legitimate access rights to the requested tenant data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, creating significant security implications for organizations relying on CloudForms for infrastructure management. Attackers could potentially access sensitive operational data, financial information, system configurations, or performance metrics belonging to other tenants within the same CloudForms instance. This unauthorized data access could lead to competitive intelligence theft, compliance violations, and potential regulatory penalties. Organizations using CloudForms in shared hosting environments or managed service provider scenarios face heightened risk, as the vulnerability could enable cross-tenant data breaches that compromise the entire platform's security posture. The vulnerability also undermines the fundamental security principle of least privilege, as users can access data beyond their designated permissions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-7047 require immediate implementation of the vendor-provided patches and updates for CloudForms versions 5.6.3.0, 5.7.3.1, and 5.8.1.2. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring and logging of API access patterns to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and API gateway controls can provide additional layers of protection by restricting direct access to sensitive endpoints and implementing rate limiting for API calls. Security teams should conduct comprehensive access reviews to ensure that only necessary users possess MiqReportResults permissions, and implement principle of least privilege controls. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security assessments and patch management processes, as well as the need for proper API security controls including input validation, proper authentication, and robust authorization mechanisms. Organizations should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning tools that can detect similar access control flaws in their CloudForms deployments and other management platforms.