CVE-2020-36695 in Device Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 07/18/2023
Incorrect Default Permissions vulnerability in Hitachi Device Manager on Linux (Device Manager Server component), Hitachi Tiered Storage Manager on Linux, Hitachi Replication Manager on Linux, Hitachi Tuning Manager on Linux (Hitachi Tuning Manager server, Hitachi Tuning Manager - Agent for RAID, Hitachi Tuning Manager - Agent for NAS
components), Hitachi Compute Systems Manager on Linux allows File Manipulation.This issue affects Hitachi Device Manager: before 8.8.5-02; Hitachi Tiered Storage Manager: before 8.8.5-02; Hitachi Replication Manager: before 8.8.5-02; Hitachi Tuning Manager: before 8.8.5-02; Hitachi Compute Systems Manager: before 8.8.3-08.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2023
This vulnerability represents a critical configuration flaw in multiple Hitachi storage management software components that stems from improper default permission settings within the Linux environment. The issue affects a suite of enterprise storage management tools including Device Manager, Tiered Storage Manager, Replication Manager, Tuning Manager, and Compute Systems Manager across various platform components. The root cause lies in the software's failure to properly establish restrictive file system permissions during installation or default configuration, creating opportunities for unauthorized file manipulation. This misconfiguration allows local users or potentially remote attackers to modify critical system files, configuration data, or operational parameters that should remain protected from unauthorized access or modification.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through the creation of files, directories, or configuration elements with overly permissive access controls that exceed the principle of least privilege. Attackers can exploit this weakness by leveraging the default permission settings to gain unauthorized write access to sensitive system resources, potentially enabling privilege escalation or data corruption. The affected components operate within the Linux ecosystem where file permissions are typically controlled through standard unix permission models, but the default installation process fails to properly enforce restrictive access controls. This creates a persistent security gap that remains active until the affected software is updated to version 8.8.5-02 for Device Manager, Tiered Storage Manager, and Replication Manager, or 8.8.3-08 for Compute Systems Manager, with Tuning Manager requiring the same 8.8.5-02 patch level across all its components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file manipulation capabilities to potentially compromise the integrity and availability of enterprise storage environments. When exploited, attackers can modify system configuration files, inject malicious code into management processes, or corrupt operational data that governs storage operations, replication policies, or performance tuning parameters. This vulnerability directly impacts the security posture of organizations relying on Hitachi storage management solutions, as it provides a persistent foothold for attackers to manipulate critical infrastructure management functions. The vulnerability's scope encompasses multiple management components within the Hitachi storage ecosystem, creating a unified attack surface that could lead to broader system compromise or unauthorized access to managed storage resources.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including manual verification of file permissions across all affected Hitachi management components, implementation of automated permission auditing processes, and deployment of the vendor-provided security patches. The remediation process requires careful attention to ensure that default installation configurations are properly secured, with particular focus on ensuring that system files, configuration directories, and operational data remain protected from unauthorized modification. Security teams should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized file access or modification attempts within the Hitachi management environment, as this vulnerability could enable persistent access that might otherwise go undetected. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource, which specifically addresses improper access control configurations that allow unauthorized modification of critical system elements, and may be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and script interpreter execution, as attackers could leverage the modified files to execute malicious code within the management environment.