CVE-2018-9065 in XClarity Administrator
Summary
by MITRE
In Lenovo xClarity Administrator versions earlier than 2.1.0, an attacker that gains access to the underlying LXCA file system user may be able to retrieve a credential store containing the service processor user names and passwords for servers previously managed by that LXCA instance, and potentially decrypt those credentials more easily than intended.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/11/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-9065 affects Lenovo xClarity Administrator versions prior to 2.1.0, representing a critical security flaw in enterprise server management software. This issue stems from inadequate credential storage and encryption mechanisms within the LXCA file system, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors who can gain access to the underlying system. The vulnerability specifically targets the credential store component that houses service processor user names and passwords for servers previously managed by the LXCA instance, fundamentally compromising the security of managed infrastructure.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper handling of credential encryption within the xClarity Administrator environment, where credentials are stored in a manner that allows for potential decryption by attackers with file system access. This weakness creates a path for attackers to extract sensitive authentication information from the credential store, which contains service processor credentials for previously managed servers. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple credential exposure as it enables attackers to potentially decrypt these credentials more easily than intended, undermining the security model designed to protect sensitive authentication data.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to enterprise environments that rely on Lenovo xClarity Administrator for server management operations. Attackers who gain file system access can leverage this flaw to extract authentication credentials for service processors across multiple managed servers, potentially enabling lateral movement and persistent access within the network. The compromised credentials could allow attackers to gain administrative access to server hardware components, including BIOS settings, firmware updates, and other critical system functions. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations with complex server infrastructures where multiple service processors require authentication, amplifying the potential impact of credential theft.
The security implications of CVE-2018-9065 align with CWE-312 (Sensitive Data Exposure) and CWE-323 (Reusing Salt or Initialization Vector with RSA) categories, reflecting poor cryptographic practices and inadequate data protection mechanisms. The vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1552.001 (Credentials in Files) and T1078 (Valid Accounts), demonstrating how attackers can exploit compromised credentials to maintain persistent access to target systems. Organizations using vulnerable versions of xClarity Administrator face significant risk of unauthorized access to critical server infrastructure, potentially leading to complete system compromise and data breaches.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate upgrade to Lenovo xClarity Administrator version 2.1.0 or later, which addresses the credential storage and encryption vulnerabilities. System administrators should implement additional access controls and monitoring for the LXCA file system, including regular audits of file system permissions and credential store access. Network segmentation and least privilege principles should be enforced to limit potential attack vectors, while regular security assessments should verify that credential storage mechanisms are properly configured. Organizations should also conduct thorough credential rotation procedures for all service processors managed by affected LXCA instances, ensuring that compromised credentials are invalidated and replaced with new secure authentication mechanisms.