CVE-2013-1399 in Puppet
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerabilities in the (1) node request management, (2) live management, and (3) user administration components in the console in Puppet Enterprise (PE) before 2.7.1 allow remote attackers to hijack the authentication of unspecified victims via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/08/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1399 represents a critical cross-site request forgery issue affecting Puppet Enterprise console components. This flaw exists in three primary areas of the Puppet Enterprise management interface including node request management, live management, and user administration functionalities. The vulnerability impacts versions prior to 2.7.1 and allows remote attackers to exploit authentication mechanisms through unspecified attack vectors that manipulate user sessions and potentially gain unauthorized access to administrative functions.
The technical nature of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-CSRF token validation within the affected console components. When users interact with the Puppet Enterprise console, legitimate requests are processed without sufficient verification that the request originates from an authenticated user session. This omission creates a pathway for attackers to craft malicious requests that appear to come from authenticated users, effectively hijacking their sessions and executing unauthorized operations within the Puppet Enterprise environment.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-1399 extends beyond simple session hijacking, as it compromises the integrity of the Puppet Enterprise management infrastructure. Attackers could potentially manipulate node configurations, modify live management settings, or alter user permissions through the compromised administrative interfaces. This vulnerability directly undermines the security model of Puppet Enterprise, which relies on proper authentication and authorization controls to protect its configuration management capabilities. The unspecified attack vectors suggest that the vulnerability may be exploitable through various methods including crafted web pages, malicious email attachments, or compromised third-party applications that interact with the Puppet console.
Organizations utilizing Puppet Enterprise versions prior to 2.7.1 face significant risk from this vulnerability, as it could enable attackers to gain persistent access to critical infrastructure management functions. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that Puppet Enterprise is commonly used for managing large-scale infrastructure deployments where unauthorized changes could result in service disruptions, security breaches, or compliance violations. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery weaknesses in web applications, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that should govern administrative interfaces.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate upgrade to Puppet Enterprise version 2.7.1 or later, which includes proper CSRF token implementation and validation mechanisms. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures such as network segmentation of the Puppet console, deployment of web application firewalls, and regular security monitoring of console access logs. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1566, which encompasses credential access through social engineering techniques, and T1078, which addresses valid accounts usage. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and establish monitoring procedures for suspicious administrative activities within the Puppet Enterprise environment.