CVE-2022-31795 in ETERNUS CentricStor CS8000
Summary
by MITRE • 06/20/2022
An issue was discovered on Fujitsu ETERNUS CentricStor CS8000 (Control Center) devices before 8.1A SP02 P04. The vulnerability resides in the grel_finfo function in grel.php. An attacker is able to influence the username (user), password (pw), and file-name (file) parameters and inject special characters such as semicolons, backticks, or command-substitution sequences in order to force the application to execute arbitrary commands.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/20/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-31795 affects Fujitsu ETERNUS CentricStor CS8000 Control Center devices running firmware versions prior to 8.1A SP02 P04. This represents a critical command injection flaw that exists within the grel.php component of the web interface, specifically within the grel_finfo function. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly handle user-supplied data, creating a pathway for malicious actors to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying system. The vulnerability is particularly concerning as it affects the centralized control interface of enterprise storage solutions, potentially providing attackers with elevated privileges and system-level access to critical infrastructure.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves manipulating three specific parameters: username (user), password (pw), and file-name (file) within the grel.php function. Attackers can inject special characters including semicolons, backticks, and command substitution sequences that bypass normal input filtering mechanisms. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-78, which describes improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands, and CWE-94, covering improper control of generation of code. The injection occurs through the grel_finfo function where user-controllable parameters are directly incorporated into system commands without proper sanitization, creating a classic command injection attack vector. The semicolon character allows for command chaining, while backticks enable command substitution, both of which can be leveraged to execute arbitrary system commands with the privileges of the web application.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple command execution, as it can provide attackers with complete control over the affected storage management system. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to access sensitive data, modify storage configurations, disrupt operations, or establish persistent access points within the enterprise network. Given that this affects a control center interface for enterprise storage systems, the attack surface includes potential access to critical business data, backup systems, and storage management functions. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely without authentication, making it particularly dangerous as it allows attackers to compromise storage infrastructure from external networks. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, specifically the use of shell commands, and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the patched firmware version 8.1A SP02 P04 or later, which addresses the input validation issues in the grel.php component. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to the affected Control Center interface, particularly limiting access to trusted administrative networks. Input validation should be strengthened at multiple layers including web application firewalls and application-level sanitization. Regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the storage infrastructure. Additionally, monitoring should be implemented to detect unusual command execution patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input sanitization and the potential consequences of inadequate security controls in enterprise storage management systems.