CVE-2018-1237 in ScaleIO
Summary
by MITRE
Dell EMC ScaleIO versions prior to 2.5, contain improper restriction of excessive authentication attempts on the Light installation Agent (LIA). This component is deployed on every server in the ScaleIO cluster and is used for central management of ScaleIO nodes. A remote malicious user, having network access to LIA, could potentially exploit this vulnerability to launch brute force guessing of user names and passwords of user accounts on the LIA.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/24/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-1237 affects Dell EMC ScaleIO versions prior to 2.5 and represents a critical weakness in the authentication mechanism of the Light Installation Agent component. This vulnerability resides within a component that is deployed across every server within the ScaleIO cluster, making it a pervasive security risk that impacts the entire distributed system. The Light Installation Agent serves as the central management interface for ScaleIO nodes, establishing it as a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise the overall cluster security posture. The flaw specifically manifests in the improper restriction of excessive authentication attempts, which creates a window for malicious actors to exploit through systematic credential guessing attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate rate limiting and authentication attempt monitoring within the LIA component. This weakness allows remote attackers with network access to the Light Installation Agent to conduct brute force attacks against user accounts without sufficient protection mechanisms to prevent repeated authentication attempts. The vulnerability operates at the authentication layer where the system fails to implement proper account lockout mechanisms or temporal delays between authentication attempts. This design flaw directly aligns with CWE-307, which addresses improper restriction of excessive authentication attempts, and represents a classic example of inadequate session management and credential validation controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it provides attackers with a foothold that can potentially escalate to full cluster compromise. Since the LIA component is deployed on every server within the ScaleIO cluster, a successful brute force attack on any single node could provide attackers with administrative privileges across the entire distributed storage system. This creates a significant risk for enterprise environments where ScaleIO clusters manage critical data infrastructure, as unauthorized access to the central management interface could enable attackers to modify cluster configurations, access sensitive data, or disrupt storage operations. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where network segmentation is insufficient, allowing attackers to reach the LIA component directly from external networks.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including network segmentation to restrict access to LIA components, enabling strong authentication mechanisms with multi-factor authentication where possible, and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for unusual authentication patterns. The recommended approach involves upgrading to Dell EMC ScaleIO version 2.5 or later, which includes proper authentication attempt limiting and account lockout mechanisms. Security controls should also include implementing network access controls using firewalls to restrict LIA access to authorized management networks only, and establishing monitoring procedures to detect potential brute force attacks. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1110, which covers Brute Force techniques, and T1078, which addresses Valid Accounts, as attackers can leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access through credential compromise. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates how a single authentication weakness can compromise an entire distributed system architecture.