CVE-2020-15382 in SANnav
Summary
by MITRE • 06/09/2021
Brocade SANnav before version 2.1.1 uses a hard-coded administrator account with the weak password ‘passw0rd’ if a password is not provided for PostgreSQL at install-time.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-15382 affects Brocade SANnav software versions prior to 2.1.1, presenting a critical security weakness in the database authentication mechanism during installation. This flaw stems from the software's default configuration behavior where it automatically creates a hard-coded administrator account with a predictable and extremely weak password when no custom PostgreSQL password is specified during the setup process. The hardcoded credentials consist of an administrator account named with the default username and a password of 'passw0rd', which represents one of the most commonly exploited weak passwords in cybersecurity incidents.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability falls under CWE-798, which specifically addresses the use of hard-coded credentials in software applications. This weakness creates an immediate and severe privilege escalation vector for attackers who can access the system through any network interface that allows connection to the PostgreSQL database service. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it eliminates the need for any advanced exploitation techniques or password cracking efforts, as the credentials are readily available and well-known in the cybersecurity community. The flaw exists in the installation and configuration phase of the software, meaning that any system running an affected version of Brocade SANnav is immediately compromised upon successful network access to the database service.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with full administrative privileges over the database and potentially the underlying system. Attackers can leverage these credentials to perform data manipulation, execute arbitrary commands, access sensitive network information, and potentially use the compromised system as a pivot point for further attacks within the network infrastructure. Given that Brocade SANnav is designed for storage area network management, the compromise of such a system could lead to complete disruption of storage services, data theft, or manipulation of critical enterprise storage configurations. The vulnerability affects the entire lifecycle of the software deployment, as it becomes exploitable immediately after installation without any additional attack surface requirements.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action to address the hardcoded credentials issue. Organizations should upgrade to Brocade SANnav version 2.1.1 or later, which resolves this issue by implementing proper authentication mechanisms during installation. System administrators must ensure that all installations include strong, unique passwords for database accounts rather than relying on default configurations. The implementation of network segmentation and access controls around database services can provide additional defense-in-depth measures, though these are secondary to the primary requirement of patching the vulnerability. Security monitoring should include detection of unauthorized database access attempts and credential usage patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of following security best practices such as those defined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO 27001 standards for secure software configuration and credential management.