CVE-2018-1075 in ovirt-engine
Summary
by MITRE
ovirt-engine up to version 4.2.3 is vulnerable to an unfiltered password when choosing manual db provisioning. When engine-setup was run and one chooses to provision the database manually or connect to a remote database, the password input was logged in cleartext during the verification step. Sharing the provisioning log might inadvertently leak database passwords.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1075 affects the oVirt engine platform version 4.2.3 and earlier, presenting a critical security flaw in the database provisioning process. This issue specifically manifests during manual database setup or remote database connection scenarios where the engine-setup utility fails to properly sanitize password inputs. The flaw represents a significant weakness in the system's handling of sensitive authentication data, creating potential exposure pathways for database credentials through log file disclosure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input sanitization within the engine-setup utility's verification process. When administrators select manual database provisioning or remote database connectivity options, the system captures password inputs but fails to filter or obfuscate these credentials during log generation. This cleartext logging behavior violates fundamental security principles for handling sensitive information and creates an attack surface where unauthorized parties can access database authentication details through routine log file examination.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential exposure, potentially enabling unauthorized database access and subsequent system compromise. An attacker who gains access to the provisioning logs can directly extract database passwords without requiring additional exploitation techniques, effectively bypassing authentication mechanisms. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where log files are shared across teams or stored in accessible locations, creating widespread exposure risks. The flaw also undermines the principle of least privilege and can lead to privilege escalation scenarios when database credentials are used for additional system access.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and CWE-522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials) classifications, demonstrating poor security practices in credential handling and storage. The issue also maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1531 (Account Access Removal) as it enables unauthorized access to database systems through compromised credentials. Organizations using affected oVirt engine versions face increased risk of data breaches, system compromise, and regulatory compliance violations due to the exposure of database authentication information through log files.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of patch updates to oVirt engine versions 4.2.4 and later, which address the password logging issue through proper input sanitization. System administrators should also implement log file access controls, restrict log file sharing practices, and establish monitoring for unauthorized log file access attempts. Additional defensive measures include implementing automated log scanning for sensitive information, configuring centralized log management systems with proper access controls, and conducting regular security audits of log file contents to ensure no sensitive data remains exposed. Organizations should also review their database access policies and implement multi-factor authentication for database systems to reduce the impact of credential exposure.