CVE-2018-13286 in DiskStation Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Incorrect default permissions vulnerability in synouser.conf in Synology Diskstation Manager (DSM) before 6.2-23739-1 allows remote authenticated users to obtain sensitive information via the world readable configuration.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-13286 represents a critical misconfiguration issue within Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM) affecting versions prior to 6.2-23739-1. This flaw resides in the synouser.conf file which contains user account information and authentication details. The vulnerability stems from improper default file permissions that inadvertently grant world-readable access to sensitive configuration data, creating an information disclosure risk that can be exploited by remote authenticated attackers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the synouser.conf file being created with permissions that allow any user with network access to read its contents. This configuration file typically stores user account information including usernames, hashed passwords, and potentially other sensitive authentication parameters. When default permissions are set incorrectly, the file becomes accessible to unauthorized users who can extract this information and potentially use it for further attacks such as credential reuse or account takeover attempts. This flaw directly maps to CWE-276 which describes improper file permissions and represents a classic case of inadequate access control implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure as it provides attackers with valuable intelligence for subsequent exploitation phases. Remote authenticated users can leverage this access to gather user account information, which may include usernames that can be used for password spraying attacks or social engineering purposes. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where Synology DSM is deployed in corporate or enterprise settings where user account information could be valuable for lateral movement within networks. This weakness aligns with ATT&CK technique T1087.001 which covers account discovery through the enumeration of system accounts, making it a significant concern for defensive operations.
Organizations should immediately implement the recommended security patches provided by Synology to address this vulnerability in DSM versions prior to 6.2-23739-1. System administrators should also conduct thorough audits of file permissions across all Synology devices to ensure that sensitive configuration files maintain appropriate access controls. Additional mitigation strategies include implementing network segmentation to limit access to DSM interfaces, monitoring for unauthorized access attempts, and establishing regular security assessments to identify similar permission misconfigurations. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper default security configurations and the potential consequences of inadequate permission management in enterprise storage solutions.