CVE-2013-2113 in Openstack
Summary
by MITRE
The create method in app/controllers/users_controller.rb in Foreman before 1.2.0-RC2 allows remote authenticated users with permissions to create or edit other users to gain privileges by (1) changing the admin flag or (2) assigning an arbitrary role.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/09/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2113 represents a critical authorization flaw within the Foreman management platform, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.2.0-RC2. This issue resides in the user controller's create method within the application's ruby on rails framework implementation, where proper access control validation fails to prevent privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability enables authenticated users who possess permissions to create or edit other users to exploit a design weakness in the privilege management system. The flaw manifests when these users manipulate the administrative flags or assign arbitrary roles to other accounts, effectively allowing them to elevate their own privileges or assume administrative control over the system.
This authorization bypass vulnerability operates through two distinct attack vectors that exploit insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms. The first vector involves direct manipulation of the admin flag parameter during user creation or modification processes, while the second vector allows attackers to assign arbitrary roles to user accounts, potentially granting them elevated permissions beyond their legitimate access rights. The underlying technical flaw stems from inadequate authorization checks within the application's user management interface, where the system fails to properly validate whether the authenticated user has sufficient privileges to perform the requested administrative actions. This weakness directly violates the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a failure in implementing proper role-based access controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can lead to complete system compromise when exploited by malicious actors. An attacker with minimal privileges can leverage this vulnerability to gain administrative access to the Foreman management platform, potentially enabling them to modify system configurations, access sensitive data, manipulate user accounts, and perform other administrative functions. The implications are particularly severe in enterprise environments where Foreman is used for system management and automation, as this vulnerability could allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to critical infrastructure management capabilities. This flaw effectively undermines the security model of the platform and creates a persistent backdoor for privilege escalation attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-2113 require immediate implementation of proper access control validation and input sanitization measures. Organizations should upgrade to Foreman version 1.2.0-RC2 or later, which includes patches addressing the authorization bypass vulnerability. Additionally, administrators should implement comprehensive role-based access control policies, ensuring that user permissions are strictly enforced and that privilege escalation attempts are properly logged and monitored. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in software systems, and corresponds to attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation techniques. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring solutions to detect anomalous user behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts of this vulnerability.