CVE-2019-0183 in Open CIT
Summary
by MITRE
Insufficient password protection in the attestation database for Open CIT may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable information disclosure via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/24/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-0183 resides within the Open CIT attestation database implementation where insufficient password protection mechanisms exist. This weakness specifically affects the authentication and authorization controls that govern access to sensitive attestation data. The vulnerability represents a critical flaw in the security architecture of the Open CIT system, which is designed to provide cryptographic attestation services for verifying the integrity and authenticity of computing environments. When proper password protection is inadequate or absent, it creates an exploitable condition that undermines the fundamental security objectives of the system.
The technical flaw manifests in the insufficient implementation of password-based authentication controls within the attestation database subsystem. An authenticated user who has already gained access to the system through legitimate means can potentially exploit this weakness to access sensitive attestation information that should remain protected. This vulnerability operates under the principle that proper access controls must be enforced even for users who are already authenticated, as the system should maintain strict separation between different levels of data access. The flaw essentially allows for privilege escalation or unauthorized data access within the confines of a system where access has already been granted through legitimate authentication mechanisms. This type of vulnerability is classified under CWE-259 as "Use of Hard-coded Password" or similar weakness categories related to inadequate authentication mechanisms, and it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.001 for "Credentials in Files" when the attestation database contains sensitive information that could be accessed through compromised authentication.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it potentially enables attackers with local access to extract sensitive attestation data that may contain cryptographic keys, certificates, or other critical security information. This information could be used to compromise the integrity of the attestation process itself, allowing for false attestation claims or the ability to impersonate legitimate systems. The consequences are particularly severe in environments where Open CIT is used for security-critical applications such as secure boot processes, remote attestation, or hardware security modules. The vulnerability could be exploited to undermine trust in the entire attestation infrastructure, potentially leading to broader security breaches when attackers use the stolen attestation data to bypass security controls or establish persistent access. Organizations relying on Open CIT for attestation services face significant risk of credential compromise and system integrity violations when this vulnerability is present.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-0183 should focus on implementing robust password protection mechanisms within the attestation database, including proper password hashing, salting, and access control enforcement. System administrators should ensure that all database access controls are properly configured with appropriate authentication levels and that access to attestation databases is restricted to authorized personnel only. The implementation of multi-factor authentication for database access and regular security audits of authentication mechanisms can help prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing database activity monitoring and logging to detect unauthorized access attempts or suspicious activities related to attestation database access. Compliance with security standards such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO/IEC 27001 should be maintained to ensure proper implementation of access control measures and password management policies. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to validate that the implemented controls effectively prevent unauthorized access to sensitive attestation data.