CVE-2024-0166 in Unity
Summary
by MITRE • 02/12/2024
Dell Unity, versions prior to 5.4, contains an OS Command Injection Vulnerability in its svc_tcpdump utility. An authenticated attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability, leading to the execution of arbitrary OS commands with elevated privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-0166 affects Dell Unity storage arrays running firmware versions prior to 5.4, specifically within the svc_tcpdump utility component. This represents a critical security flaw that demonstrates poor input validation practices in system administration tools designed for network monitoring and packet capture operations. The svc_tcpdump utility is typically used by system administrators to collect network traffic data for diagnostic purposes, making it an integral part of storage array management functions that require elevated privileges to operate.
The technical flaw manifests as an operating system command injection vulnerability, where the utility fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input parameters before incorporating them into system commands. This weakness allows an authenticated attacker with access to the storage array's management interface to inject malicious commands that will be executed with the privileges of the svc_tcpdump process. According to CWE-77, this vulnerability maps directly to command injection flaws that occur when user-controllable data is passed to system execution functions without proper validation or escaping mechanisms. The attack vector requires authentication, meaning that an attacker must first establish valid credentials to access the system, but once authenticated, the privilege escalation potential is significant.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized command execution, as it provides a pathway for attackers to gain elevated system privileges and potentially compromise the entire storage infrastructure. Storage arrays serve as critical backend systems for enterprise data management, and their compromise can lead to data theft, system disruption, and lateral movement within network environments. The elevated privileges associated with the svc_tcpdump utility mean that successful exploitation could enable attackers to modify system configurations, access sensitive data stored on the array, or establish persistent access points within the network. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, where adversaries leverage legitimate system tools to execute malicious code, and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation.
Organizations utilizing Dell Unity storage arrays should immediately implement mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The primary recommended action involves upgrading to firmware version 5.4 or later, which contains the necessary patches to prevent command injection attacks in the svc_tcpdump utility. System administrators should also review and restrict access to the storage array management interfaces, implementing principle of least privilege controls to minimize the attack surface. Additional protective measures include monitoring for unusual command execution patterns, implementing network segmentation to limit access to storage management ports, and conducting regular security assessments of storage array configurations. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in system administration tools and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of all components within enterprise storage infrastructure, particularly those with elevated privilege requirements.