CVE-2016-8202 in Fabric
Summary
by MITRE
A privilege escalation vulnerability in Brocade Fibre Channel SAN products running Brocade Fabric OS (FOS) releases earlier than v7.4.1d and v8.0.1b could allow an authenticated attacker to elevate the privileges of user accounts accessing the system via command line interface. With affected versions, non-root users can gain root access with a combination of shell commands and parameters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/22/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-8202 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within Brocade Fibre Channel Storage Area Network products that operate on Brocade Fabric OS versions prior to 7.4.1d and 8.0.1b. This weakness specifically targets the command line interface access mechanism, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers to escalate their privileges from standard user accounts to root level access. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the fabric operating system's command processing functions, which fail to properly verify the privilege levels of users executing specific shell commands. The flaw allows malicious actors who have already established an authenticated session to exploit command execution parameters that should normally be restricted to administrative users, thereby bypassing the standard security boundaries that separate user and administrative access levels.
The technical implementation of this privilege escalation vulnerability involves a combination of shell command manipulation and parameter handling that permits non-root users to execute administrative functions through carefully crafted command sequences. Attackers can leverage this flaw by constructing specific command line inputs that trigger internal code paths designed for administrative operations, effectively allowing them to assume root privileges without proper authentication or authorization. This issue is particularly concerning because it operates at the command line interface level, where users typically expect to be restricted to their assigned privilege levels. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-269, which addresses insufficient privileges in system components, and demonstrates a failure in the principle of least privilege enforcement that is fundamental to secure system design. The exploitation process requires minimal privileges initially, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by attackers who have already gained some level of access to the system through other means.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with complete control over the affected Brocade SAN infrastructure. Once root access is obtained, malicious actors can manipulate storage configurations, modify access controls, alter system logs, and potentially disrupt critical storage services that organizations depend upon for data integrity and availability. This vulnerability directly affects the security posture of enterprise storage networks, where SAN devices serve as critical infrastructure components managing sensitive data access and storage operations. The implications are severe for organizations that rely on Brocade Fibre Channel SAN products for their data center operations, as the compromise of these systems can lead to widespread data exposure, service disruption, and potential compliance violations. The vulnerability's presence in multiple release versions also means that organizations with legacy systems may be particularly vulnerable, as upgrading to the patched versions requires careful planning and system downtime considerations.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate remediation through the application of Brocade's official security patches and updates for Fabric OS versions 7.4.1d and 8.0.1b. System administrators should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all affected devices within their SAN infrastructure and implement additional monitoring controls to detect suspicious command execution patterns. The mitigation strategy should include regular security audits of command line access controls and enforcement of strict access control policies for administrative functions. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation,' and represents a classic example of how insufficient input validation can lead to unauthorized access control bypass. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and privilege separation measures to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities, while maintaining detailed logging of all administrative command executions to facilitate forensic analysis in case of compromise. The security community has recognized this vulnerability as a significant risk to enterprise storage environments, emphasizing the importance of timely patch management and proactive security monitoring.