CVE-2012-4406 in swift
Summary
by MITRE
OpenStack Object Storage (swift) before 1.7.0 uses the loads function in the pickle Python module unsafely when storing and loading metadata in memcached, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted pickle object.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4406 represents a critical security flaw in OpenStack Object Storage swift component prior to version 1.7.0. This issue stems from the unsafe usage of Python's pickle module within the memcached metadata storage mechanism, creating a significant attack surface that enables remote code execution. The flaw occurs when the system processes metadata objects stored in memcached, where the pickle.loads() function is invoked without proper sanitization or validation of the input data.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of serialized data within the memcached storage layer of swift's architecture. When metadata objects are stored and subsequently retrieved from memcached, the system employs the pickle module to deserialize the data structure. The pickle module in Python is designed for serializing and deserializing Python objects, but it inherently poses security risks when used with untrusted input. The unsafe implementation allows attackers to craft malicious pickle objects that, when processed by pickle.loads(), execute arbitrary code on the target system. This represents a classic deserialization vulnerability that maps directly to CWE-502, which specifically addresses "Deserialization of Untrusted Data" in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-4406 is severe and multifaceted, affecting organizations utilizing OpenStack swift deployments in production environments. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain full control over affected systems, potentially leading to data breaches, service disruption, and complete system compromise. The attack vector requires minimal privileges and can be executed from any location with network access to the memcached service, making it particularly dangerous in cloud environments where swift components are commonly deployed. The vulnerability affects the core metadata handling functionality of the storage system, which means that any operation involving object metadata could serve as an attack surface for exploitation.
This vulnerability aligns with several tactics outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to execution and privilege escalation. The attack chain typically involves initial access through network connectivity to memcached services followed by code execution leveraging the deserialization flaw. The impact extends beyond immediate system compromise to include potential lateral movement within cloud infrastructures, as compromised swift components could provide attackers with access to sensitive data stored in the object storage system. Organizations using OpenStack swift deployments should prioritize immediate patching and implementation of network segmentation controls to limit access to memcached services, as the vulnerability represents a critical threat to cloud storage security posture.
The remediation approach for CVE-2012-4406 requires immediate upgrade to OpenStack swift version 1.7.0 or later, which includes proper sanitization of pickle data handling. Additionally, organizations should implement network controls to restrict access to memcached services, ensure proper authentication mechanisms are in place, and consider alternative metadata storage mechanisms that do not rely on potentially unsafe deserialization processes. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual patterns in metadata operations that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a stark reminder of the importance of secure coding practices and the dangers of using potentially unsafe serialization mechanisms without proper input validation and sanitization measures.