CVE-2013-2143 in Katello
Summary
by MITRE
The users controller in Katello 1.5.0-14 and earlier, and Red Hat Satellite, does not check authorization for the update_roles action, which allows remote authenticated users to gain privileges by setting a user account to an administrator account.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/11/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2143 represents a critical authorization flaw within the Katello content management system and its integration with Red Hat Satellite platforms. This issue affects versions 1.5.0-14 and earlier, where the users controller fails to properly validate user permissions before executing the update_roles action. The flaw exists in the application's access control mechanisms, specifically within the user management component that handles role assignments and privilege modifications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and authorization checks within the update_roles functionality. When authenticated users attempt to modify user roles through the affected controller, the system does not verify whether the requesting user possesses sufficient privileges to perform such administrative actions. This authorization bypass allows malicious or compromised users to escalate their privileges by directly manipulating role assignments, effectively granting themselves administrator-level access to the system. The vulnerability specifically targets the administrative interface where users can modify account permissions, creating a path for privilege escalation attacks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on Katello and Red Hat Satellite for content management and system administration. An authenticated attacker with access to the platform can exploit this flaw to gain full administrative control over user accounts and potentially the entire system. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it can lead to complete system compromise, data theft, unauthorized access to sensitive information, and potential lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal prerequisites - only authenticated access to the system is needed to exploit the flaw.
The flaw aligns with CWE-285, which addresses insufficient authorization issues in software systems, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and privilege escalation. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches, reviewing and strengthening access control policies, and monitoring for unauthorized privilege changes. Additional protective measures include implementing role-based access controls, enabling audit logging for role modification events, and conducting regular security assessments of the content management platform. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper authorization checks in administrative interfaces and highlights the necessity of defense-in-depth strategies to protect against such privilege escalation attacks.