CVE-2023-27312 in SnapCenter Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
SnapCenter Plugin for VMware vSphere versions 4.6 prior to 4.9 are susceptible to a vulnerability which may allow authenticated unprivileged users to modify email and snapshot name settings within the VMware vSphere user interface.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/31/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-27312 affects SnapCenter Plugin for VMware vSphere versions 4.6 through 4.8, representing a critical access control flaw that undermines the security posture of virtualized environments. This issue stems from insufficient authorization checks within the plugin's user interface components, specifically targeting the configuration settings for email notifications and snapshot naming conventions. The flaw exists in the web-based management interface that administrators and users interact with when managing backup and recovery operations within VMware vSphere environments. Organizations relying on SnapCenter for data protection and disaster recovery planning face significant risks when this vulnerability remains unaddressed, as it enables malicious actors with minimal privileges to manipulate critical backup parameters that could compromise data integrity and recovery procedures.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through improper validation of user permissions within the plugin's administrative interface. Authenticated users who should only possess read-only or limited operational privileges can exploit this flaw to modify email alert configurations and snapshot naming conventions without proper authorization. This represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates inadequate input validation and access control mechanisms within the plugin's codebase. The vulnerability operates at the application layer of the vSphere ecosystem, specifically targeting the plugin's configuration management functions that handle user interface interactions for backup settings. Attackers could potentially use this capability to disrupt backup operations, manipulate alert notifications, or create misleading snapshot identifiers that could confuse administrators during critical recovery scenarios.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-27312 extends beyond simple configuration modifications and creates a pathway for more sophisticated attacks within virtualized infrastructures. An attacker with access to the vSphere user interface could manipulate email notification settings to suppress critical alerts about backup failures or system anomalies, effectively creating blind spots in monitoring and alerting systems. The ability to modify snapshot names introduces risks of confusion during recovery operations, where administrators might inadvertently restore from incorrect or maliciously crafted snapshot points. This vulnerability could also enable attackers to establish persistence within backup environments by modifying configuration parameters that affect backup schedules, retention policies, or notification recipients. The impact is particularly severe in enterprise environments where SnapCenter is used for mission-critical data protection, as it could lead to data loss, extended recovery times, or compromised backup integrity that undermines the entire disaster recovery strategy.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to SnapCenter Plugin for VMware vSphere version 4.9 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the access control vulnerabilities. Network segmentation and privileged access controls should be enforced to limit user access to the vSphere management interface, ensuring that only authorized administrators can access backup configuration settings. Regular monitoring of user activities within the vSphere interface should be implemented to detect unauthorized configuration changes, with alerts configured for modifications to email settings or snapshot naming conventions. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Issues, specifically addressing inadequate access control mechanisms within the application's user interface components. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and configuration modification tactics that could enable adversaries to establish more persistent access to backup systems and compromise the integrity of recovery operations. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their SnapCenter implementations and review access control policies to prevent exploitation of this flaw in their environments.