CVE-2019-0819 in SQL Server
Summary
by MITRE
An information disclosure vulnerability exists in Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services when it improperly enforces metadata permissions, aka 'Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services Information Disclosure Vulnerability'.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/09/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-0819 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services that stems from inadequate metadata permission enforcement mechanisms. This weakness allows authenticated attackers with limited privileges to access sensitive data and metadata that should be restricted to authorized users only. The issue specifically affects the analysis services component that processes multidimensional data models and tabular models, creating a pathway for unauthorized data exposure that could compromise the integrity of business intelligence systems. The vulnerability manifests when the system fails to properly validate access controls during metadata queries, enabling attackers to bypass intended security boundaries.
From a technical perspective, this information disclosure vulnerability operates through the improper handling of metadata access controls within the SQL Server Analysis Services architecture. The flaw occurs when the system processes requests for metadata information without adequately verifying user permissions against the underlying data structures. This allows attackers to construct specific queries that can traverse the metadata hierarchy and extract information that would normally be restricted based on user roles and security policies. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the core permission enforcement mechanisms that protect sensitive business intelligence data, including dimension structures, measure groups, and calculated members that contain proprietary business information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can enable more sophisticated attacks that leverage the disclosed metadata to plan further exploitation attempts. Attackers can use the leaked metadata information to understand the structure of databases, identify potential targets for additional attacks, and craft more effective exploitation strategies. This information disclosure can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive business intelligence data, potentially exposing competitive information, financial metrics, or strategic planning details that should remain confidential. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on SQL Server Analysis Services for their business intelligence and reporting capabilities, creating risks for industries where data confidentiality is paramount.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant security patches released by Microsoft as part of their regular update cycle. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit exposure of Analysis Services components to trusted networks only. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual metadata access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1087.001 for account access testing and T1005 for data from local system. Regular security assessments of Analysis Services configurations should be conducted to ensure proper role-based access controls are implemented, and unnecessary metadata exposure should be minimized through careful configuration of security policies and access controls.