CVE-2018-2905 in Sun ZFS Storage Appliance Kit (AK)
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Sun ZFS Storage Appliance Kit (AK) component of Oracle Sun Systems Products Suite (subcomponent: Core Services). The supported version that is affected is Prior to 8.7.20. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via SSL/TLS to compromise Sun ZFS Storage Appliance Kit (AK). Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized read access to a subset of Sun ZFS Storage Appliance Kit (AK) accessible data. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 5.3 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/18/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-2905 affects the Sun ZFS Storage Appliance Kit component within Oracle Sun Systems Products Suite, specifically within the Core Services subcomponent. This issue represents a significant security weakness that impacts systems running versions prior to 8.7.20 of the affected software. The vulnerability resides in the authentication mechanisms of the storage appliance, creating a pathway for unauthorized access that could potentially compromise sensitive data stored within the system. The affected appliance serves as a critical storage infrastructure component for enterprise environments, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations relying on ZFS storage solutions for their data management needs.
The technical flaw manifests as a weakness in the SSL/TLS implementation that allows for unauthenticated network-based attacks without requiring any prior privileges or user interaction. This vulnerability operates at the network layer and can be exploited by attackers who have access to the network where the appliance resides, making it particularly dangerous in environments where network segmentation is not properly implemented. The vulnerability's CVSS score of 5.3 indicates a medium severity level, with the primary impact being confidentiality-related data compromise. The attack vector requires network access via SSL/TLS protocols, which means that the vulnerability can be exploited from remote locations without requiring physical access to the system. This characteristic aligns with CWE-310, which addresses cryptographic weaknesses in security protocols, and demonstrates how improper implementation of secure communication channels can lead to unauthorized data access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it allows attackers to gain unauthorized read access to a subset of the appliance's accessible data. While the scope of data access is limited to a subset rather than complete system compromise, this still represents a significant risk for organizations handling sensitive information in their storage environments. The vulnerability's ease of exploitation means that even less sophisticated attackers could potentially leverage this weakness to gain access to confidential data stored on the ZFS appliance. Organizations utilizing this storage solution may experience unauthorized data exposure, potential compliance violations, and increased risk of data breaches that could affect customer information, intellectual property, or proprietary business data. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would fall under T1071.001 for application layer protocol usage and T1046 for network service scanning, as attackers would need to identify and exploit the vulnerable SSL/TLS implementation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-2905 primarily focus on upgrading to the patched version 8.7.20 or later, which addresses the underlying authentication and SSL/TLS implementation weaknesses. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the appliance to untrusted networks, while also considering the deployment of network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous access patterns. Security administrators should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the affected appliance within their environment and prioritize remediation efforts based on risk exposure. The implementation of additional security controls such as intrusion detection systems, network access control, and regular security audits can help reduce the attack surface and provide additional layers of protection. Organizations should also consider implementing data loss prevention measures to monitor for unauthorized data access patterns and establish incident response procedures specifically tailored to address potential exploitation of this vulnerability. Regular security awareness training for system administrators can help ensure proper configuration and monitoring practices are maintained to prevent exploitation of similar weaknesses in the storage infrastructure.