CVE-2017-1378 in Tivoli Storage Manager
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Spectrum Protect 7.1 and 8.1 (formerly Tivoli Storage Manager) disclosed unencrypted login credentials to Vmware vCenter in the application trace output which could be obtained by a local user. IBM X-Force ID: 126875.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2021
This vulnerability resides in IBM Spectrum Protect versions 7.1 and 8.1, formerly known as Tivoli Storage Manager, where the software inadvertently exposes unencrypted login credentials within application trace output when interfacing with VMware vCenter systems. The flaw represents a critical security oversight that allows local users to access sensitive authentication information through trace logs, potentially enabling unauthorized access to VMware environments. The vulnerability specifically affects the integration between IBM Spectrum Protect and VMware vCenter, where the application generates trace output containing credential information that should remain protected.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of authentication data within the application's logging mechanisms. When IBM Spectrum Protect communicates with VMware vCenter, the system generates trace output that includes unencrypted username and password information in clear text format. This occurs because the logging subsystem does not properly sanitize or encrypt credential data before writing to trace files, creating a direct exposure of authentication tokens. The flaw manifests when the application processes VMware vCenter connections and writes detailed operational logs that contain the complete credential set without any form of encryption or obfuscation. This behavior violates fundamental security principles for credential handling and demonstrates a lack of proper input validation and output sanitization within the application's trace management system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for organizations utilizing IBM Spectrum Protect with VMware vCenter integration. A local attacker with access to the system can directly read trace files and extract unencrypted credentials, potentially gaining unauthorized access to VMware vCenter environments and the underlying virtual infrastructure. This exposure creates a significant attack surface that could enable lateral movement within the network, privilege escalation, and full compromise of virtualized environments. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on automated backup and recovery processes through IBM Spectrum Protect, as the trace output often contains credentials for multiple systems and services. The risk is amplified when considering that trace files may persist on disk for extended periods, maintaining the credential exposure long after the initial connection attempt. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates poor separation of concerns in the application's security architecture.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including disabling unnecessary trace logging for credential-related operations, implementing proper file system permissions on trace directories, and configuring log rotation with automatic credential sanitization. The recommended approach involves configuring IBM Spectrum Protect to either encrypt trace output containing sensitive information or to disable detailed tracing for authentication operations entirely. System administrators should also implement monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access to trace files and establish regular audit procedures to verify that credential information is not being exposed in log files. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation to limit local user access to systems running IBM Spectrum Protect, and ensure that all systems are updated to the latest versions where this vulnerability has been addressed. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and CWE-200 (Information Exposure) categories, representing a clear violation of security best practices for credential handling. The attack vector follows ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) by leveraging exposed credentials to gain unauthorized access to systems, while also potentially enabling T1566 (Phishing) through credential compromise.