Failure To Remove Sensitive Artifacts From Disk

Failure to Remove Sensitive Artifacts from Disk

Overview of the Vulnerability

During the deployment or configuration phases of the device, sensitive artifacts (which can include: configuration information, secrets, or credentials) are transferred to and stored on the device's storage medium. These artifacts are not adequately removed post-deployment or configuration. As a result, an attacker gaining access to the device could view these sensitive artifacts.

Business Impact

The persistence of sensitive artifacts on the device's storage poses a significant risk to data confidentiality and system integrity. Unauthorized access to these artifacts can lead to security breaches, unauthorized system access, and the potential leakage of confidential information. The implications include not only immediate operational and financial losses but also long-term damage to the organization's reputation and trustworthiness, alongside potential regulatory non-compliance.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Login to the device using the credentials supplied.

2. Open the file found at: {{filepath}}

3. You'll see that the file is a deployment script, viewing the variable, {{variable}} you'll see secrets used during deployment.

Proof of Concept (PoC)

The following screenshot(s) demonstrate(s) this vulnerability:

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Guidance

Provide a step-by-step walkthrough with screenshots on how you exploited the vulnerability. This will speed up triage time and result in faster rewards. Please include specific details on where you identified the vulnerability, how you identified it, and what actions you were able to perform as a result.

Attempt to escalate the vulnerability to perform additional actions. If this is possible, provide a full Proof of Concept (PoC).

Recommendation(s)

It is recommended to implement robust deletion functions that not only reference to the data, but write over the existing data to prevent digital forensic methods of recovery.