CVE-2013-2006 in Keystone
Summary
by MITRE
OpenStack Identity (Keystone) Grizzly 2013.1.1, when DEBUG mode logging is enabled, logs the (1) admin_token and (2) LDAP password in plaintext, which allows local users to obtain sensitive by reading the log file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2006 resides within OpenStack Identity service known as Keystone in its Grizzly release version 2013.1.1. This flaw represents a critical security oversight that emerged from the service's configuration handling when debug mode is activated, creating a significant exposure risk for systems utilizing this identity management framework. The vulnerability specifically affects environments where administrators enable debug logging for troubleshooting purposes, inadvertently creating a backdoor for unauthorized access to critical system credentials.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper logging practices within the Keystone service architecture. When debug mode is enabled, the system logs sensitive authentication credentials including the admin_token and LDAP password in plain text format directly to log files. This occurs because the logging mechanism does not properly sanitize or filter out authentication-related variables before writing them to persistent storage. The admin_token serves as a privileged access key that grants administrative control over the entire Keystone service, while the LDAP password provides authentication credentials for directory services integration. Both credentials are stored in plaintext within the log files, making them immediately accessible to any local user with read permissions on the log directory.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential exposure, creating a comprehensive attack surface that aligns with multiple tactics described in the ATT&CK framework under credential access and privilege escalation categories. Local users who can access the system's log files gain immediate access to administrative privileges through the admin_token, potentially allowing them to create, modify, or delete user accounts, grant permissions, and manipulate the entire identity management infrastructure. The LDAP password exposure enables attackers to authenticate as any user within the integrated directory service, potentially compromising additional systems that rely on this directory for authentication. This vulnerability particularly affects cloud environments where multiple administrators or users may have local access to the system, creating a significant risk for organizations with less stringent access controls.
This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-532, which describes "Information Exposure Through Log Files," and CWE-259, which addresses "Use of Hard-coded Password." The flaw demonstrates poor security engineering practices in credential handling and logging mechanisms, as the system fails to implement proper credential sanitization before log output. Organizations implementing OpenStack Keystone services should immediately disable debug mode in production environments and ensure that logging configurations properly filter out sensitive information. Recommended mitigations include implementing log file access controls, configuring centralized logging with proper credential filtering, and establishing regular security audits to verify that no sensitive information is being logged in plaintext format. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following security best practices such as those outlined in the OpenStack security guidelines and NIST SP 800-53, which emphasize the need for proper information handling and access control mechanisms to prevent unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data.