CVE-2017-5201 in Clustered Data ONTAP
Summary
by MITRE
NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP before 8.3.2P8 and 9.0 before P2 allow remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive cluster and tenant information via unspecified vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-3064.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/05/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5201 represents a significant information disclosure weakness in NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP systems across multiple versions. This flaw affects both the 8.3.2P8 release and earlier versions of the 8.3.2 series, as well as the 9.0 release before its P2 patch. The vulnerability specifically targets authenticated remote users who can exploit unspecified vectors to gain access to sensitive cluster and tenant information. This represents a critical security gap that undermines the confidentiality controls typically implemented in enterprise storage environments where data isolation and access control are paramount.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and information hiding mechanisms within the NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP architecture. While the exact exploitation vectors remain unspecified in the CVE description, such information disclosure vulnerabilities typically arise from improper privilege enforcement, inadequate input validation, or flawed authorization checks within the storage management interfaces. The vulnerability allows authenticated users to access information that should be restricted to administrators or specific authorized personnel, potentially exposing cluster configurations, tenant data structures, and other sensitive operational details. This aligns with CWE-200, which categorizes information exposure vulnerabilities where sensitive data is accessible to unauthorized parties.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-5201 extends beyond simple information gathering, as the leaked cluster and tenant information could enable more sophisticated attacks against the storage infrastructure. An attacker with access to this sensitive information could map the storage topology, identify vulnerable systems, and potentially escalate privileges through targeted attacks. The disclosure of tenant information particularly poses risks in multi-tenant environments where data isolation is crucial for maintaining compliance with security standards and regulatory requirements. This vulnerability could facilitate attacks that leverage the leaked information to bypass other security controls, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where storage systems handle sensitive corporate data, customer information, and regulated datasets.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigation strategies including applying the recommended patches for NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP versions 8.3.2P8 and 9.0P2, which address the information disclosure vectors. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enhanced to limit the scope of authenticated users who can access sensitive storage management interfaces. Security monitoring should be strengthened to detect unusual access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper access control implementation and regular security assessments of enterprise storage systems, particularly those handling sensitive data in multi-tenant configurations. This issue also highlights the need for continuous vulnerability management processes that can identify and remediate information disclosure vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in real-world attacks.