CVE-2023-4677 in Pandora FMS
Summary
by MITRE • 11/23/2023
Cron log backup files contain administrator session IDs. It is trivial for any attacker who can reach the Pandora FMS Console to scrape the cron logs directory for cron log backups. The contents of these log files can then be abused to authenticate to the application as an administrator. This issue affects Pandora FMS <= 772.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2023
This vulnerability resides in the Pandora FMS monitoring platform where cron job log backup files inadvertently contain administrator session identifiers. The flaw represents a critical security oversight that directly violates fundamental principles of authentication security and privilege separation. When cron jobs execute within the Pandora FMS environment, they generate log files that are stored in accessible directories, and these files contain session IDs that persist in plaintext format. The vulnerability stems from inadequate sanitization of log output during automated processes, creating a persistent exposure window where unauthorized parties can gain administrative access simply by accessing these log files. This issue affects all versions of Pandora FMS up to and including version 772, indicating a widespread problem that has likely remained undetected for extended periods.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a straightforward attack pattern that aligns with common privilege escalation techniques documented in the attack framework. An attacker with network access to the Pandora FMS console can trivially enumerate the cron logs directory and extract session identifiers from backup files. These session IDs can then be directly used to authenticate as administrator users without requiring any additional credentials or complex exploitation techniques. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics of credential leakage and session hijacking, with the session identifiers being exposed in an unencrypted format within the file system. This represents a classic case of insecure logging practices where sensitive authentication tokens are written to persistent storage without proper access controls or encryption mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching for organizations relying on Pandora FMS for network monitoring and security operations. Administrative session IDs being exposed in log files creates an immediate and persistent threat vector that can be exploited by any attacker with access to the console environment. The vulnerability essentially provides a backdoor that allows attackers to assume full administrative privileges within the monitoring platform, potentially compromising the entire security infrastructure that Pandora FMS protects. Organizations may face unauthorized access to critical monitoring data, modification of alert configurations, and complete control over the monitoring environment. This vulnerability also impacts the principle of least privilege by allowing unauthorized access to administrative functions that should remain restricted to authorized personnel only.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar issues. Organizations should immediately implement file system access controls to restrict access to cron log directories and ensure that sensitive session identifiers are not stored in plaintext within backup files. The recommended approach includes implementing proper log sanitization procedures that remove or encrypt authentication tokens from log outputs, as well as configuring appropriate file permissions to prevent unauthorized access to log files. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing session token rotation mechanisms and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to log directories. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and adheres to common security principles outlined in standards such as the CWE-200 weakness category for exposure of sensitive information and the ATT&CK technique T1563.002 for credentials in files. The fix should involve comprehensive auditing of all logging mechanisms to ensure that no sensitive authentication data is inadvertently stored in accessible locations.