CVE-2018-11081 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Pivotal Operations Manager, versions 2.2.x prior to 2.2.1, 2.1.x prior to 2.1.11, 2.0.x prior to 2.0.16, and 1.11.x prior to 2, fails to write the Operations Manager UAA config onto the temp RAM disk, thus exposing the configs directly onto disk. A remote user that has gained access to the Operations Manager VM can now file search and find the UAA credentials for Operations Manager on the system disk.

Understanding CVE-2018-11081

This section provides insights into the nature and impact of the CVE-2018-11081 vulnerability.

What is CVE-2018-11081?

The Operations Manager UAA configuration in Pivotal Operations Manager versions 2.2.x prior to 2.2.1, 2.1.x prior to 2.1.11, 2.0.x prior to 2.0.16, and 1.11.x prior to 2 is not properly written onto the temporary RAM disk. This flaw leads to the exposure of the configuration on the disk, potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive information.

The Impact of CVE-2018-11081

The vulnerability poses a high risk with a CVSS base score of 7.9, indicating a high severity level. The impact includes:

High confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact
Low attack complexity and adjacent network attack vector
High privileges required and user interaction
Scope changed to the system
Cleartext storage of sensitive information on disk

Technical Details of CVE-2018-11081

This section delves into the technical aspects of the CVE-2018-11081 vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in Pivotal Operations Manager allows the UAA configuration to be exposed on the disk, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive credentials.

Affected Systems and Versions

Pivotal-ops-manager versions 1.11.x, 2.0.x, 2.1.x, and 2.2.x are affected by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

If a remote user gains access to the Operations Manager VM, they can search and locate the UAA credentials for Operations Manager on the system disk.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section outlines steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2018-11081.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Pivotal Operations Manager to versions 2.2.1, 2.1.11, 2.0.16, or above to address the vulnerability.
Monitor and restrict access to the Operations Manager VM to prevent unauthorized entry.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement encryption mechanisms to protect sensitive data stored on disks.
Regularly audit and review access controls to prevent unauthorized access.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches and updates provided by Pivotal to fix the vulnerability and enhance system security.