How to remediate – MaaS360 Data Collection

1. Introduction

The MaaS360 Data Collection vulnerability involves the collection of mobile device data by the MaaS360 plugin. This can expose sensitive hardware and software information from managed devices, potentially impacting confidentiality if this data is compromised. Systems affected are those running the MaaS360 platform with the vulnerable plugin enabled. The likely impact on confidentiality is medium, integrity is low, and availability is low.

2. Technical Explanation

This plugin collects all mobile device hardware and software information from MaaS360. An attacker with local access to a system running the MaaS360 platform could potentially access this collected data. There are no known CVEs associated with this specific collection activity, but it represents a potential risk due to the sensitive nature of the data gathered. For example, an attacker gaining access to the server hosting the MaaS360 instance could extract device information directly from the database or logs where this plugin stores the collected data.

• Root cause: The plugin collects and stores mobile device hardware and software information without sufficient restriction on access.
• Exploit mechanism: An attacker with local server access can read the stored data through direct database queries, file system access, or API calls.
• Scope: MaaS360 platforms running the vulnerable data collection plugin are affected.

3. Detection and Assessment

To confirm vulnerability, check for the presence of the MaaS360 Data Collection plugin and review its configuration. A thorough method involves examining the logs and database records associated with the plugin to identify collected device information.

• Quick checks: Verify the plugin is installed within the MaaS360 administration console.
• Scanning: No specific signature IDs are available for this vulnerability.
• Logs and evidence: Examine MaaS360 logs for entries related to data collection activity, specifically looking for records of hardware and software information being stored. The exact log paths will depend on the MaaS360 configuration.

4. Solution / Remediation Steps

The following steps outline how to address the risk associated with the MaaS360 Data Collection vulnerability. These steps focus on limiting access to collected data and reviewing the necessity of the plugin’s functionality.

4.1 Preparation

• Services: No services need to be stopped for this remediation.
• Roll back plan: Restore from the pre-change backup if issues occur. Change window approval may be required depending on internal policies.

4.2 Implementation

1. Step 1: Review the necessity of the MaaS360 Data Collection plugin. If not essential, disable or uninstall it.
2. Step 2: If the plugin is required, restrict access to the database and file system where collected data is stored using appropriate permissions.
3. Step 3: Implement monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to the data storage locations.

4.3 Config or Code Example

Before

#Example: Default permissions allowing broad access to data storage directory
chmod 777 /opt/maas360/data

After

#Example: Restrict permissions to only authorized users.
chmod 755 /opt/maas360/data
chown maas360user:maas360group /opt/maas360/data

4.4 Security Practices Relevant to This Vulnerability

Several security practices can help mitigate this vulnerability type. Least privilege is crucial to limit the impact of potential data breaches. Input validation, while not directly applicable here, is a general best practice for preventing other types of attacks. Secure defaults and patch cadence are also important for maintaining overall system security.

• Practice 1: Implement least privilege access controls to restrict who can access sensitive data stored by the plugin.
• Practice 2: Regularly review and update permissions on data storage locations.

4.5 Automation (Optional)

No specific automation scripts are provided due to the configuration-specific nature of MaaS360 deployments. However, infrastructure as code tools could be used to manage file system permissions.

#Example using Ansible:
- name: Restrict permissions on data directory
  file:
    path: /opt/maas360/data
    owner: maas360user
    group: maas360group
    mode: '0755'

5. Verification / Validation

Confirm the fix by verifying restricted access to data storage locations and reviewing logs for unauthorized attempts. A smoke test should confirm that core MaaS360 functionality remains operational.

• Post-fix check: Verify that users without appropriate permissions cannot access the data directory.
• Re-test: Attempt to read data from the storage location using a user account with limited privileges – this should fail.
• Smoke test: Confirm that device enrollment and basic management functions continue to work as expected.
• Monitoring: Monitor MaaS360 logs for failed access attempts to the data storage directory.

#Example: Attempting to read a file with limited privileges should result in a "Permission denied" error.
ls /opt/maas360/data
Permission denied

6. Preventive Measures and Monitoring

Update security baselines to include restrictions on access to sensitive data storage locations. Incorporate checks into CI or deployment pipelines to ensure that file system permissions are correctly configured. Establish a regular patch and configuration review cycle to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.

• Baselines: Update the MaaS360 server security baseline to enforce least privilege access controls for data storage.
• Pipelines: Add checks in deployment pipelines to verify file system permissions on the data directory.
• Asset and patch process: Implement a quarterly review of MaaS360 configuration settings, including plugin permissions.

7. Risks, Side Effects, and Roll Back

Restricting access could potentially disrupt legitimate processes if not carefully planned. Incorrectly configured permissions may prevent authorized users from accessing necessary data. Roll back by restoring the original file system permissions or restoring from a backup.

• Risk or side effect 2: Unauthorized access attempts may still occur if other vulnerabilities exist. Mitigation: Implement comprehensive security monitoring and intrusion detection systems.
• Roll back: Restore file system permissions using the original configuration or restore from a pre-change backup.

8. References and Resources

• Vendor advisory or bulletin: No specific vendor advisory available for this data collection activity. Refer to general MaaS360 security documentation.
• NVD or CVE entry: No specific CVE entry exists for this vulnerability.
• Product or platform documentation relevant to the fix: VMware Workspace