CVE-2022-43937 - How Debug Logging in Brocade SANnav May Expose Your Sensitive Information

If you manage Brocade SAN switches, you've probably used Brocade's SANnav Management Portal. Did you know that a debug logging setting could quietly leak sensitive information right into log files? This is what CVE-2022-43937 is all about. In this article, I’ll break down how this can happen, show code snippets, and guide you to official sources for more details.

What Is CVE-2022-43937?

CVE-2022-43937 is a vulnerability in Brocade SANnav Management Portal and SANnav Global View before versions 2.3. and 2.2.2a. Whenever debug logging is turned on, certain sensitive data—like passwords or access tokens—may be written into logs. These logs, if accessible by unauthorized users, can lead to information exposure, drastically increasing your data breach risk.

The Problem with Debug Logging

Debug logs are typically much more detailed than regular logs. Developers turn on debug-level logging to troubleshoot problems—they need all the information they can get. But sometimes, this means the app logs sensitive info, like:

What Happened in SANnav?

In Brocade SANnav, when debug logging was enabled, certain operations—like user authentication or admin actions—would record incoming data, including sensitive fields, into the log files. These files might get large and be stored somewhere admins or, worse, attackers could read.

Here's a simplified code snippet showing how this could happen

if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
    // The request contains sensitive information
    logger.debug("Login request: " + request.toString());
}

Let’s imagine request.toString() prints out the whole JSON payload of a login attempt—including the password!

Example log entry

DEBUG Login request: {"username":"admin", "password":"SuperSecret123!"}

How Could an Attacker Exploit This?

1. Enable Debug Logging: This can be turned on intentionally by admins or left on by mistake after troubleshooting.
2. Access Log Files: The attacker gets access to the filesystem where debug logs are saved. This could happen via another vulnerability or simply weak permissions.
3. Exfiltrate Data: They read the logs, searching for sensitive data (using grep or similar tools).

Shell Example

grep "password" /var/log/sannav/* | less

This command will quickly find all instances where a password was written.

Malicious Insider: A disgruntled employee combs through debug logs to steal credentials.

- Post-Exploit: An attacker who already has low-level access can escalate by finding passwords or tokens in logs.
- Cloud/Shared Hosting Risks: In virtualized environments, shared logs could be even more accessible.

Official Security Advisories

- Broadcom Security Advisory PDF
- NIST NVD CVE-2022-43937

Regularly Scan Logs for sensitive information.

- Don’t Log Sensitive Data: Developers should use logging middleware that redacts or removes secrets.

Conclusion

CVE-2022-43937 is a perfect example of why debug logging in production environments can be dangerous—especially when sensitive data is involved. Always keep your SANnav updated and audit your logging settings. Even if you trust your network, remember: logs are as sensitive as your database. Treat them that way!

References

- Broadcom Security Advisory (PT-18142)
- NIST NVD Entry for CVE-2022-43937

Timeline

Published on: 11/21/2024 11:15:14 UTC
Last modified on: 11/21/2024 13:57:24 UTC