CVE-2011-5097 in Chef Infra
Summary
by MITRE
chef-server-api/app/controllers/cookbooks.rb in Chef Server in Chef before 0.9.18, and 0.10.x before 0.10.2, does not require administrative privileges for the update and destroy methods, which allows remote authenticated users to (1) upload cookbooks via a knife cookbook upload command or (2) delete cookbooks via a knife cookbook delete command.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-5097 affects the Chef Server API component, specifically within the cookbooks controller implementation. This security flaw exists in Chef Server versions prior to 0.9.18 and 0.10.x versions before 0.10.2, representing a critical authorization bypass issue that undermines the integrity of configuration management operations. The vulnerability stems from insufficient privilege validation within the application's RESTful API endpoints that handle cookbook management functions, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers to execute unauthorized administrative operations.
The technical flaw manifests in the chef-server-api/app/controllers/cookbooks.rb file where the update and destroy methods lack proper administrative privilege verification. This design oversight allows any authenticated user within the Chef ecosystem to perform critical operations such as cookbook uploads and deletions without possessing the required administrative credentials. The vulnerability specifically impacts the knife cookbook upload and knife cookbook delete commands, which are fundamental tools in Chef's configuration management workflow. When an attacker successfully authenticates to the Chef Server, they can leverage this weakness to manipulate the cookbook repository, potentially disrupting system configurations or introducing malicious code into the managed infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables attackers to fundamentally alter the configuration state of managed systems. An authenticated attacker can upload malicious cookbooks that contain harmful code, potentially leading to privilege escalation, data exfiltration, or system compromise across the entire Chef-managed infrastructure. The deletion capability poses additional risks by allowing attackers to remove critical cookbooks that may contain essential configuration scripts, leading to system outages or misconfigurations that could affect hundreds or thousands of managed nodes. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can result in significant operational disruption to organizations relying on Chef for infrastructure automation.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to Chef Server versions 0.9.18 or 0.10.2 and later, which contain the necessary authorization checks. Additional protective measures include implementing network segmentation to limit access to Chef Server APIs, enforcing strict access controls for knife commands, and monitoring for unauthorized cookbook modifications. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control, and represents a clear violation of the ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential access. Security teams should also consider implementing automated monitoring solutions that track cookbook upload and deletion activities, as these operations should typically be restricted to authorized administrators only. The remediation process should include comprehensive access reviews and privilege audits to ensure that only legitimate administrators possess the necessary credentials to perform cookbook management operations.