CVE-2012-4501 in CloudStack
Summary
by MITRE
Citrix Cloud.com CloudStack, and Apache CloudStack pre-release, allows remote attackers to make arbitrary API calls by leveraging the system user account, as demonstrated by API calls to delete VMs.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/15/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-4501 represents a critical authentication and authorization flaw affecting Citrix Cloud.com CloudStack and Apache CloudStack pre-release versions. This weakness stems from improper handling of system user credentials within the API layer, creating a pathway for remote attackers to execute unauthorized administrative operations. The vulnerability specifically targets the authentication mechanisms that should prevent unauthorized access to critical system functions, allowing malicious actors to exploit legitimate system accounts for nefarious purposes.
The technical flaw manifests in the API call processing system where the authentication validation does not adequately verify the legitimacy of requests originating from system user accounts. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to make arbitrary API calls using the system user account, which typically possesses elevated privileges and administrative capabilities within the cloud infrastructure. The demonstration of this vulnerability shows attackers successfully executing API calls to delete virtual machines, indicating that the flaw extends beyond simple data access to encompass destructive operations that can severely impact cloud environments.
Operationally, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to cloud infrastructure security as it allows remote attackers to perform administrative actions without proper authentication or authorization. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation to include potential data loss, service disruption, and complete compromise of cloud resources. Organizations utilizing affected CloudStack versions face significant exposure to unauthorized deletion of virtual machines, which can result in service outages, data corruption, and financial losses. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries do not require physical access or network proximity to exploit the vulnerability, making it particularly dangerous in cloud environments where systems are accessible over the internet.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 related to valid accounts and T1485 related to data destruction. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of CloudStack, implementing additional authentication layers, and monitoring API access logs for suspicious activity. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be configured to restrict access to API endpoints, while regular security audits should verify that system user accounts are not being used for unauthorized operations. The incident underscores the importance of proper access control implementation and the critical need for thorough security testing of cloud infrastructure components before deployment.