CVE-2020-7306 in Data Loss Prevention
Summary
by MITRE
Unprotected Storage of Credentials vulnerability in McAfee Data Loss Prevention (DLP) for Mac prior to 11.5.2 allows local users to gain access to the ADRMS username and password via unprotected log files containing plain text
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/09/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-7306 represents a critical unprotected storage of credentials issue within McAfee Data Loss Prevention (DLP) for Mac versions prior to 11.5.2. This flaw stems from the improper handling of sensitive authentication information within the application's logging mechanisms, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on this endpoint protection solution. The vulnerability falls under the broader category of credential exposure through insecure data storage practices, which directly violates fundamental security principles of data protection and access control. The issue manifests when the DLP application writes authentication credentials to log files in plain text format, making them easily accessible to any local user with file system access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs at the application level where the McAfee DLP client fails to implement proper encryption or obfuscation mechanisms for sensitive data within its logging infrastructure. When the application establishes connections to ADRMS (Active Directory Rights Management Services) servers, it stores the username and password credentials in log files without any form of cryptographic protection or access controls. This plain text exposure creates an attack surface where local adversaries can directly read authentication information from these log files, effectively bypassing normal authentication mechanisms and gaining unauthorized access to enterprise resources. The vulnerability specifically affects the Mac implementation of the DLP solution, indicating that the developers did not properly account for platform-specific security considerations when implementing credential handling within the logging framework.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential theft, as it provides attackers with persistent access to enterprise resources that may include sensitive data repositories, protected documents, and restricted network access points. Local users who gain access to these log files can potentially escalate their privileges within the organization's security infrastructure, leading to unauthorized data exfiltration, privilege escalation, and potential lateral movement throughout the network. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations using McAfee DLP as their primary endpoint protection mechanism, where the exposure of ADRMS credentials could compromise entire document protection policies and access control frameworks. Security analysts should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-312 (CWE-312: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and represents a classic example of insecure data storage that violates security best practices established by organizations such as NIST and ISO 27001.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies including updating to McAfee DLP for Mac version 11.5.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the credential storage issue. System administrators should also conduct thorough audits of existing log files to identify any exposed credentials and implement proper log rotation and access control policies. The recommended remediation approach includes configuring the application to encrypt sensitive information within logs, implementing file system access controls to restrict log file permissions, and establishing monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized access attempts to credential storage locations. Security teams should consider implementing additional controls such as privilege separation, regular credential rotation, and enhanced monitoring of log file access patterns to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of applying security patches promptly and maintaining comprehensive visibility into application logging mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.