CVE-2013-2192 in Hadoop
Summary
by MITRE
The RPC protocol implementation in Apache Hadoop 2.x before 2.0.6-alpha, 0.23.x before 0.23.9, and 1.x before 1.2.1, when the Kerberos security features are enabled, allows man-in-the-middle attackers to disable bidirectional authentication and obtain sensitive information by forcing a downgrade to simple authentication.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-2192 represents a critical security flaw in Apache Hadoop's Remote Procedure Call implementation that specifically affects versions prior to the mentioned patches. This issue manifests when Kerberos security features are enabled, creating a scenario where attackers can exploit the authentication mechanism to weaken security protections. The vulnerability operates through a downgrade attack vector that targets the authentication negotiation process, allowing malicious actors to force the system into using less secure authentication methods.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient validation of authentication protocol versions within the RPC layer of Apache Hadoop. When Kerberos is enabled, the system should maintain bidirectional authentication to ensure both client and server verify each other's identities. However, the implementation fails to properly enforce protocol version consistency, enabling attackers to manipulate the authentication handshake process. This allows adversaries to downgrade the security level from Kerberos to simple authentication, effectively bypassing the robust bidirectional authentication that Kerberos provides. The vulnerability specifically targets the negotiation phase where the system should enforce security protocol integrity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it fundamentally undermines the security model of Apache Hadoop clusters that rely on Kerberos for authentication. Attackers who successfully exploit this weakness can obtain sensitive information from the cluster, potentially gaining access to data that should be protected by Kerberos authentication. The man-in-the-middle attack capability means that even if network traffic is encrypted, the authentication process itself becomes compromised, allowing unauthorized access to cluster resources. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations using Hadoop in production environments where data security and access control are paramount.
Organizations should immediately apply the security patches released by Apache Hadoop for versions 2.0.6-alpha, 0.23.9, and 1.2.1 to address this vulnerability. The mitigation strategy involves updating to patched versions that properly enforce authentication protocol version consistency and prevent downgrade attacks. Additionally, network administrators should implement monitoring for unusual authentication pattern changes and consider deploying additional security controls such as network segmentation to limit the impact of potential exploitation. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-327, which addresses the use of weak cryptographic algorithms and improper implementation of security protocols, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1552.001 for unsecured credentials and T1071.004 for application layer protocol usage. The attack requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Hadoop clusters process sensitive data.