CVE-2019-12310 in ExaGrid
Summary
by MITRE
ExaGrid appliances with firmware version v4.8.1.1044.P50 have a /monitor/data/Upgrade/ directory traversal vulnerability, which allows remote attackers to view and retrieve verbose logging information. Files within this directory were observed to contain sensitive run-time information, including Base64 encoded 'support' credentials, leading to administrative access of the device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/26/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-12310 affects ExaGrid appliances running firmware version v4.8.1.1044.P50 and represents a critical directory traversal flaw that exposes sensitive operational data. This weakness resides within the /monitor/data/Upgrade/ directory structure of the appliance's web interface, where improper input validation allows remote attackers to navigate beyond intended file access boundaries. The directory traversal vulnerability enables unauthorized users to access files that should remain restricted, fundamentally compromising the appliance's security posture through the exposure of privileged information.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves manipulating file path parameters to access directories outside the intended scope of the web application. Attackers can leverage this flaw to retrieve verbose logging information that contains critical system data including Base64 encoded administrative credentials. This specific implementation of directory traversal falls under CWE-22 which categorizes path traversal vulnerabilities as weaknesses that allow attackers to access files and directories outside the intended scope through manipulation of input parameters. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that the exposed credentials are encoded in Base64 format, which represents a common but insufficient protection mechanism that can be easily decoded by adversaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to represent a complete administrative compromise of the affected appliance. When attackers obtain the Base64 encoded support credentials, they can easily decode this information to gain full administrative access to the device, enabling them to modify configurations, access stored data, and potentially use the appliance as a pivot point for further attacks within the network. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1078 Valid Accounts and T1566 Phishing, as it provides attackers with legitimate administrative credentials that can be used for persistent access and lateral movement.
The exposure of verbose logging information within the /monitor/data/Upgrade/ directory represents a significant security oversight in the appliance's design and implementation. These logs typically contain detailed operational data that includes system states, user activities, and potentially sensitive configuration information that should remain protected. The presence of administrative credentials in log files indicates poor security hygiene and inadequate input sanitization practices during the development lifecycle. Organizations utilizing ExaGrid appliances should immediately implement mitigations including firmware updates, network segmentation, and access controls to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper privilege separation and the principle of least privilege in embedded systems design, as sensitive operational data should never be exposed through unauthenticated or improperly authenticated web interfaces.
Security teams should prioritize patching affected systems and monitoring for exploitation attempts, while also implementing network-based controls to restrict access to the appliance's web interface. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of validating and sanitizing all user inputs, particularly in web applications that handle file system operations, as even seemingly benign directory traversal paths can provide attackers with complete system compromise capabilities. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security assessments of their embedded systems to identify similar vulnerabilities that may exist in other components of their infrastructure.