CVE-2018-7110 in Service Governance Framework
Summary
by MITRE
A remote unauthorized disclosure of information vulnerability was identified in HPE Service Governance Framework (SGF) version 4.2, 4.3. A race condition under high load in SGF exists where SGF transferred different parameter to the enabler.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/05/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7110 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within HPE Service Governance Framework version 4.2 and 4.3, specifically manifesting as a race condition under high load conditions. This vulnerability arises from improper parameter handling within the framework's enabler components, creating an exploitable scenario where unauthorized parties can gain access to sensitive information through remote means without proper authentication. The issue stems from the framework's inability to maintain consistent parameter integrity during concurrent processing operations, particularly when system resources are heavily utilized. The race condition occurs at the point where the Service Governance Framework transfers parameters to its enabler modules, allowing for potential data leakage or information exposure that could compromise system security posture.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the framework's concurrent processing architecture where multiple threads or processes attempt to access and modify shared resources simultaneously. When the system operates under high load conditions, the timing variations between these concurrent operations create opportunities for parameter values to be incorrectly transferred or overwritten, leading to unauthorized information disclosure. This type of race condition falls under the CWE-362 category of "Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1070.004 for "Indicator Removal on Host: File Deletion" through potential data manipulation or exposure. The flaw specifically affects the parameter transfer mechanism between the main framework components and the enabler modules, where different parameter values are being transmitted under conditions of resource contention.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially compromise the integrity and confidentiality of service governance operations within affected environments. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive operational data, service configurations, or governance parameters that should remain protected within the framework. This exposure could enable attackers to understand the internal workings of service management processes, potentially leading to more sophisticated attacks or system compromise. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where service governance frameworks manage critical business processes and sensitive data flows. Organizations using affected SGF versions may experience unauthorized data exposure, compliance violations, and potential service disruption when this vulnerability is successfully exploited under high load conditions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-7110 should prioritize immediate patch application from HPE to address the underlying race condition in the Service Governance Framework. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of affected systems to trusted networks only, while monitoring for anomalous parameter transfer patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The implementation of proper synchronization mechanisms within the framework's concurrent processing components should be considered as part of any long-term remediation approach, ensuring that parameter handling operations maintain integrity under high load conditions. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their service governance environments and implement logging controls to detect unauthorized parameter access patterns. Additionally, organizations should consider temporary workarounds such as reducing concurrent processing loads or implementing additional validation checks on parameter transfers to minimize the risk of exploitation while permanent patches are deployed. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper race condition handling in enterprise service frameworks and underscores the need for comprehensive security testing under stress conditions to identify similar concurrency-related issues.