CVE-2018-8919 in DiskStation Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Information exposure vulnerability in SYNO.Core.Desktop.SessionData in Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM) before 6.1.6-15266 allows remote attackers to steal credentials via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-8919 represents a critical information exposure flaw within Synology DiskStation Manager's core desktop session management component. This vulnerability affects DSM versions prior to 6.1.6-15266 and exposes sensitive credential data to remote attackers through unspecified attack vectors. The issue resides within the SYNO.Core.Desktop.SessionData module, which handles session management and credential storage for the web-based administration interface. This component serves as a critical gateway for system access and authentication, making it an attractive target for malicious actors seeking unauthorized system access.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of information disclosure, specifically related to session data handling and credential exposure. Attackers can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to session tokens, authentication credentials, or other sensitive data that should remain protected within the system's secure boundaries. The unspecified vectors suggest that the vulnerability may be exploitable through multiple attack pathways including but not limited to session hijacking, credential scraping, or man-in-the-middle attacks against the web interface. This weakness creates a direct pathway for attackers to bypass normal authentication mechanisms and gain elevated privileges within the system.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-8919 is severe and far-reaching for organizations relying on Synology DSM for their network storage solutions. Successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, unauthorized data access, privilege escalation, and potential lateral movement within network environments. Organizations using vulnerable DSM versions face significant risk of data breaches, system infiltration, and unauthorized administrative access. The vulnerability particularly affects enterprises and organizations that depend on Synology's network-attached storage solutions for critical data management and file sharing operations, potentially exposing sensitive corporate information and intellectual property.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of all affected DSM installations to version 6.1.6-15266 or later. Network administrators should implement additional security controls including firewall rules to restrict access to the DSM web interface, enable two-factor authentication where available, and monitor for suspicious network activity. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure, and represents a significant concern from the ATT&CK framework perspective under the credential access and privilege escalation domains. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their Synology installations, review access controls, and implement network segmentation to limit potential attack surfaces. Regular security updates and vulnerability management processes should be strengthened to prevent similar exposures in other system components and maintain overall security posture.