CVE-2017-15518 in OnCommand API Services
Summary
by MITRE
All versions of OnCommand API Services prior to 2.1 and NetApp Service Level Manager prior to 1.0RC4 log a privileged database user account password. All users are urged to move to a fixed version. Since the affected password is changed during every upgrade/installation no further action is required.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/08/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in NetApp's OnCommand API Services and NetApp Service Level Manager software products where sensitive authentication credentials are inadvertently logged in plain text within system logs. The issue affects all versions prior to the specified fixed releases, creating a persistent risk for organizations relying on these platforms for storage management and orchestration. The vulnerability stems from improper logging practices where privileged database user passwords are captured and stored in log files without adequate sanitization or encryption mechanisms. This behavior violates fundamental security principles and creates an attack surface that adversaries can exploit to gain unauthorized access to backend database systems. The flaw is categorized as a logging vulnerability that directly impacts the confidentiality and integrity of authentication mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs at the application logging layer where the software components fail to properly filter or redact sensitive information before writing it to log files. When database user credentials are used during system operations, including upgrade or installation processes, these credentials are captured in the logging infrastructure without proper security controls. This creates a situation where any individual with access to the system logs can extract these passwords and potentially use them to authenticate as privileged database users. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because the passwords are automatically rotated during each upgrade or installation process, meaning that attackers who obtain the logged credentials would have a limited window of opportunity to exploit them, though this does not eliminate the risk entirely.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate credential exposure to encompass broader security implications for enterprise storage infrastructures. Organizations using affected versions face potential unauthorized access to their storage management databases, which could lead to data manipulation, unauthorized system changes, or complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects the core operational security posture of NetApp management platforms and could be leveraged by attackers to escalate privileges within storage environments. Given that these tools are commonly used for critical infrastructure management, the potential for business disruption and data loss is significant. The vulnerability also impacts compliance requirements for organizations subject to regulatory frameworks that mandate protection of sensitive authentication information.
Security practitioners should prioritize immediate remediation of this vulnerability by upgrading to the fixed versions of OnCommand API Services 2.1 and NetApp Service Level Manager 1.0RC4. The recommended mitigation strategy involves implementing comprehensive log sanitization policies that prevent sensitive information from being written to system logs in the first place. Organizations should also establish monitoring procedures to detect and alert on unauthorized access to system log files, as well as implement proper access controls and audit logging for log file access. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-532, which describes "Information Exposure Through Log Files," and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege and defense in depth. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a credential access technique where adversaries leverage exposed credentials to maintain persistent access to target systems, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where storage management systems are critical to business operations and where attackers may already have some level of access to the system infrastructure.