CVE-2023-6573 in OneView
Summary
by MITRE • 01/23/2024
HPE OneView may have a missing passphrase during restore.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/25/2026
HPE OneView represents a comprehensive infrastructure automation platform that manages server hardware, storage, and networking components within data center environments. The platform employs cryptographic mechanisms to protect sensitive configuration data, certificates, and authentication credentials during backup and restore operations. When a system administrator performs a restore operation from a backup file, the platform expects all cryptographic elements including passphrases to be properly maintained and accessible. This vulnerability arises when the restore process fails to validate or apply the necessary passphrase required for decrypting protected components within the backup archive.
The technical flaw manifests in the restoration workflow where the system does not adequately enforce passphrase validation during the decompression and reconfiguration phases. This creates a scenario where backup files containing encrypted sensitive data may be restored without proper decryption keys, leaving critical infrastructure components exposed to unauthorized access. The missing passphrase vulnerability specifically impacts the integrity of encrypted configuration data, certificates, and potentially authentication tokens that are essential for maintaining secure communications between managed devices and the OneView management platform. This weakness allows attackers who gain access to backup files to potentially restore systems with weakened security postures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it compromises the fundamental security model of the entire infrastructure automation system. When passphrases are missing during restoration, administrators may unknowingly deploy configurations that lack proper encryption protection for sensitive components. This creates persistent security gaps where restored systems might be vulnerable to credential theft, man-in-the-middle attacks, or unauthorized access to managed hardware resources. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations relying on automated backup and recovery processes, as it undermines the trust model established by the platform's cryptographic protections.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust passphrase management protocols during backup operations, ensuring that all cryptographic elements are properly validated before restoration. Organizations must verify that backup files contain complete encryption metadata and that restore procedures include mandatory passphrase verification steps. Security controls should be enhanced to automatically validate cryptographic integrity during restore processes, preventing incomplete or insecure configurations from being deployed. Regular security assessments should include testing of backup and restore procedures to ensure proper passphrase handling. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-312 (Sensitive Data Exposure) and could enable techniques described in ATT&CK tactic TA0006 (Credential Access) through compromised authentication mechanisms. Organizations should also implement strict access controls around backup files and establish audit trails for all restoration activities to detect potential exploitation attempts.