1. Introduction
The Workspace ONE Data Collection plugin gathers all data from a Workspace ONE environment. This can create a large attack surface if the collected data is not adequately protected, potentially exposing sensitive information about users and devices. Businesses should be aware of this risk as it affects any organisation using Workspace ONE for device management.
2. Technical Explanation
This plugin collects all data from Workspace ONE. The root cause is broad data collection without sufficient controls on what is gathered or how it’s secured. An attacker with local access to the system running the plugin could potentially extract this collected data. There are no known CVE, CVSS, or CWE identifiers associated with this specific plugin functionality.
- Root cause: Unrestricted data collection from Workspace ONE.
- Exploit mechanism: A malicious actor with local access copies the collected data files.
- Scope: Systems running the Workspace ONE Data Collection plugin.
3. Detection and Assessment
Confirming vulnerability involves checking for the presence of the plugin and assessing its configuration. A quick check is to see if the plugin is installed, followed by a thorough review of what data it’s collecting.
- Quick checks: Check application logs or installed software lists for “Workspace ONE Data Collection”.
- Scanning: No specific signature IDs are known at this time. Standard vulnerability scanners may not detect this issue.
- Logs and evidence: Review plugin configuration files to identify data collection settings. Log locations will depend on the system running the plugin.
4. Solution / Remediation Steps
The solution is to review and restrict data collection by the Workspace ONE Data Collection plugin.
4.1 Preparation
- Ensure you have a record of the original configuration for roll back purposes. A change window may be needed depending on service impact.
4.2 Implementation
- Step 1: Review the plugin’s configuration to identify all data collection points.
- Step 2: Reduce the scope of data collected to only what is absolutely necessary for business operations.
- Step 3: Implement access controls on the collected data files, limiting access to authorized personnel.
4.3 Config or Code Example
Before
# Collect all data from Workspace ONE
data_collection = "all"
After
# Collect only essential data from Workspace ONE
data_collection = ["device_name", "user_id"]
4.4 Security Practices Relevant to This Vulnerability
List only practices that directly address this vulnerability type. Use neutral wording and examples instead of fixed advice. For example: least privilege, input validation, safe defaults, secure headers, patch cadence. If a practice does not apply, do not include it.
- Practice 1: Least privilege to limit the impact if data is compromised.
- Practice 2: Data minimisation to reduce the amount of sensitive information collected and stored.
4.5 Automation (Optional)
# Example PowerShell Script to update configuration file
# Requires appropriate permissions
# Replace placeholders with actual paths and values
$configFile = "C:Program FilesWorkspaceONEDataCollectionConfig.ini"
$newData = "[Settings]`nData_collection = ["device_name", "user_id"]"
Set-Content -Path $configFile -Value $newData -Force
5. Verification / Validation
Confirm the fix by verifying that only essential data is being collected and that access controls are in place.
- Post-fix check: Review the plugin’s configuration file to confirm the `data_collection` setting has been updated.
- Re-test: Re-examine application logs to ensure no unnecessary data is being logged.
- Smoke test: Verify that core Workspace ONE functionality (device enrollment, app distribution) continues to operate as expected.
- Monitoring: Monitor plugin log files for unexpected data entries or access attempts.
# Example command to check configuration file content
type C:Program FilesWorkspaceONEDataCollectionConfig.ini
# Expected Output should show only device_name and user_id in the Data_collection setting.
6. Preventive Measures and Monitoring
Suggest only measures that are relevant to the vulnerability type. Use “for example” to keep advice conditional, not prescriptive.
- Baselines: Update security baselines to include restrictions on data collection by plugins.
- Pipelines: Implement configuration validation checks in deployment pipelines to prevent excessive data collection settings.
- Asset and patch process: Regularly review plugin configurations as part of a standard asset management process.
7. Risks, Side Effects, and Roll Back
- Risk or side effect 1: Reducing data collection may impact reporting features. Mitigate by carefully identifying essential data points.
- Risk or side effect 2: Incorrect configuration could disrupt plugin functionality. Mitigate by testing changes in a non-production environment first.
- Roll back: Restore the original configuration file from backup. Restart any affected services.
8. References and Resources
- Vendor advisory or bulletin: No specific advisory available for this plugin functionality. Refer to Workspace ONE documentation.
- NVD or CVE entry: No specific CVE entry available for this plugin functionality.
- Product or platform documentation relevant to the fix: VMware Workspace ONE Documentation