CVE-2017-8516 in SQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services in Microsoft SQL Server 2012, Microsoft SQL Server 2014, and Microsoft SQL Server 2016 allows an information disclosure vulnerability when it improperly enforces permissions, aka "Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services Information Disclosure Vulnerability".
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/07/2021
Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services contains a critical information disclosure vulnerability that affects multiple versions of the database platform. This vulnerability stems from improper permission enforcement mechanisms within the analysis services component, creating a scenario where unauthorized users can potentially access sensitive data that should be restricted to specific authorized personnel. The flaw exists in the way the system validates access controls during analysis service operations, allowing for privilege escalation and data exposure that violates fundamental security principles of data protection.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests when Analysis Services fails to properly validate user permissions during query execution or data access operations. Attackers can exploit this weakness to bypass access controls that should restrict data visibility to only authorized users. This occurs through manipulation of analysis service requests or by leveraging existing access to perform unauthorized data retrieval operations. The vulnerability specifically impacts the permission enforcement logic within the Analysis Services engine, where authentication checks are insufficient to prevent unauthorized data access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can enable comprehensive data reconnaissance and unauthorized access to business intelligence reports, analytical data sets, and sensitive organizational information. Security administrators may face significant challenges in detecting unauthorized access attempts since the vulnerability operates within legitimate system operations. Organizations using affected SQL Server versions could experience unauthorized disclosure of financial data, customer information, operational metrics, and strategic business intelligence that should remain protected within secure environments. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can result in substantial business disruption and regulatory compliance violations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of Microsoft security patches and updates to affected SQL Server installations. Organizations should also implement comprehensive monitoring of analysis services access patterns to detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access control hardening around SQL Server instances can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. Security teams should conduct thorough access control reviews and implement principle-based access restrictions to minimize the blast radius of potential information disclosure. Additionally, regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be performed to identify and remediate similar permission enforcement weaknesses throughout the database infrastructure. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and represents a significant concern under ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and defense evasion techniques.