CVE-2018-7083 in Instant
Summary
by MITRE
If a process running within Aruba Instant crashes, it may leave behind a "core dump", which contains the memory contents of the process at the time it crashed. It was discovered that core dumps are stored in a way that unauthenticated users can access them through the Aruba Instant web interface. Core dumps could contain sensitive information such as keys and passwords. Workaround: Block access to the Aruba Instant web interface from all untrusted users. Resolution: Fixed in Aruba Instant 4.2.4.12, 6.5.4.11, 8.3.0.6, and 8.4.0.0
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2023
The vulnerability described in CVE-2018-7083 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within Aruba Instant wireless networking systems that has significant implications for network security and data protection. This issue manifests when processes within the Aruba Instant system experience crashes and generate core dump files containing memory contents from the failed processes. These core dumps are stored in a manner that allows unauthenticated users to access them through the web interface, creating a substantial security risk that can compromise sensitive system information.
The technical flaw stems from improper access controls and insecure storage mechanisms within the Aruba Instant web interface implementation. When processes crash, the system generates core dump files that contain volatile memory contents including potentially sensitive data such as cryptographic keys, passwords, and other confidential information. The vulnerability exists because these core dump files are not properly secured or restricted, allowing any user with access to the web interface to retrieve them without authentication. This represents a failure in the principle of least privilege and demonstrates inadequate separation of concerns in the system's security architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it directly enables unauthorized information disclosure attacks that can lead to complete system compromise. An attacker who gains access to core dump files can extract sensitive credentials, encryption keys, and other confidential data that could be used to escalate privileges, conduct further attacks, or gain persistent access to the network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Aruba Instant software and can be exploited by any unauthenticated user with access to the web interface, making it particularly dangerous in environments where the web interface is exposed to untrusted networks or users. This creates a significant attack surface that can be leveraged for lateral movement and privilege escalation within the network.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and represents a classic example of insecure direct object reference where core dump files are accessible without proper authentication checks. The issue also maps to ATT&CK technique T1005 (Data from Local System) and T1078 (Valid Accounts) as attackers can exploit this to extract sensitive information from compromised systems. The recommended workaround of blocking access to the web interface from untrusted users provides a temporary mitigation but does not address the underlying architectural flaw. The official resolution involves patching multiple versions of Aruba Instant software, with specific fixes released in versions 4.2.4.12, 6.5.4.11, 8.3.0.6, and 8.4.0.0, which implement proper access controls and secure storage mechanisms for core dump files. Organizations should ensure immediate deployment of these patches and implement additional monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts to system diagnostic files, while also reviewing their overall network segmentation and access control policies to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other system components.