CVE-2020-3973 in Orchestrator
Summary
by MITRE
The VeloCloud Orchestrator does not apply correct input validation which allows for blind SQL-injection. A malicious actor with tenant access to Velocloud Orchestrator could enter specially crafted SQL queries and obtain data to which they are not privileged.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/09/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-3973 represents a critical security flaw in the VeloCloud Orchestrator platform that exposes organizations to significant data breach risks. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the system's database interaction components, creating an exploitable entry point for malicious actors who possess legitimate tenant access credentials. The VeloCloud Orchestrator serves as a centralized management platform for software-defined wide area networks, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise network infrastructure and extract sensitive operational data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through a blind SQL injection attack vector that operates without direct error messages or immediate feedback mechanisms. Attackers can craft malicious SQL queries that bypass the platform's input sanitization processes, allowing them to indirectly infer database contents through timing variations or conditional responses. This blind approach requires sophisticated exploitation techniques and extended attack windows, but the underlying flaw remains persistent across all affected versions of the orchestrator platform. The vulnerability specifically impacts the platform's authentication and authorization mechanisms, where user inputs are processed without proper validation before being incorporated into database queries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft to encompass complete compromise of network management capabilities and potential lateral movement within the affected infrastructure. An attacker with tenant-level access can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges, extract network configuration details, access user credentials, and potentially disrupt network services. The implications are particularly severe for organizations relying on VeloCloud Orchestrator for critical network operations, as the compromised system could serve as a gateway for broader network infiltration. The vulnerability affects the platform's integrity and confidentiality, creating opportunities for both data exfiltration and service disruption attacks that align with tactics described in the attack pattern framework.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including comprehensive input validation updates, database query parameterization, and enhanced access controls for tenant users. The vulnerability demonstrates weaknesses in the principle of least privilege enforcement and highlights the importance of defense-in-depth approaches to security architecture. Security teams must conduct thorough penetration testing to identify similar injection vulnerabilities in related systems and implement proper database access controls to limit the impact of potential exploitation. This vulnerability also emphasizes the need for regular security assessments and vulnerability management programs that can identify and remediate such flaws before they can be exploited by malicious actors. The remediation process should include database activity monitoring, intrusion detection system updates, and comprehensive user access reviews to prevent unauthorized data access through this and similar attack vectors.