CVE-2012-5483 in Keystone
Summary
by MITRE
tools/sample_data.sh in OpenStack Keystone 2012.1.3, when access to Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) is configured, uses world-readable permissions for /etc/keystone/ec2rc, which allows local users to obtain access to EC2 services by reading administrative access and secret values from this file.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-5483 affects OpenStack Keystone version 2012.1.3 and represents a critical access control flaw that undermines the security posture of cloud infrastructure deployments. This issue specifically manifests in the sample data script that configures access to Amazon EC2 services within the OpenStack environment. The vulnerability stems from improper file permission configuration where the script creates the /etc/keystone/ec2rc file with world-readable permissions, exposing sensitive administrative credentials to all local users on the system. This represents a fundamental failure in privilege separation and access control mechanisms that should prevent unauthorized access to critical system resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the tools/sample_data.sh script which is designed to initialize sample data for OpenStack Keystone services, particularly when integrating with Amazon EC2 compatibility features. When this script executes, it generates the ec2rc file that contains administrative access keys and secret values necessary for EC2 service authentication. The flaw occurs because the script does not properly set file permissions, leaving the file accessible with read permissions for all users on the system. This configuration violates basic security principles and creates an attack surface where any local user can execute a simple read operation to obtain administrative credentials.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability provides attackers with immediate access to EC2 services within the OpenStack environment, potentially enabling them to perform unauthorized operations such as launching instances, managing resources, or accessing sensitive data. The impact extends beyond simple credential theft, as these administrative credentials can be used to escalate privileges and move laterally within the cloud infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in multi-tenant environments where local users may not be trusted, as it allows for privilege escalation without requiring network-level attacks or complex exploitation techniques. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1548.001 for privilege escalation through the abuse of administrative credentials.
The security implications of this vulnerability can be analyzed through the lens of CWE-732, which addresses inadequate permissions for critical resources. This weakness directly enables unauthorized access to administrative credentials that should remain protected from local users. Organizations using OpenStack Keystone 2012.1.3 are particularly vulnerable, as the issue affects the core configuration mechanism that establishes service access. The vulnerability demonstrates poor security hardening practices and represents a failure in the principle of least privilege, where sensitive configuration files are not properly secured against unauthorized access. Additionally, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting through local system access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-5483 should focus on immediate remediation of file permissions combined with broader security hardening measures. Organizations should manually correct the permissions on the /etc/keystone/ec2rc file to ensure it is only readable by the appropriate administrative users and processes. The recommended fix involves setting restrictive file permissions such as 600 or 640, ensuring that only the owner or specific administrative groups can access the file contents. System administrators should also review and audit all similar configuration files for similar permission issues, implementing automated checks to prevent future occurrences. Long-term solutions include upgrading to newer versions of OpenStack Keystone where this issue has been addressed, implementing proper configuration management practices, and establishing security policies that enforce proper file permission settings for sensitive administrative files. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security auditing and the need for comprehensive access control policies that prevent unauthorized access to critical system resources.