CVE-2013-2274 in Puppet
Summary
by MITRE
Puppet 2.6.x before 2.6.18 and Puppet Enterprise 1.2.x before 1.2.7 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code on the puppet master, or an agent with puppet kick enabled, via a crafted request for a report.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2274 represents a critical remote code execution flaw affecting Puppet configuration management systems. This vulnerability impacts both the open source Puppet 2.6.x series before version 2.6.18 and Puppet Enterprise 1.2.x series before version 1.2.7, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on these configuration management tools. The flaw specifically targets the report handling mechanism within Puppet's architecture, allowing authenticated attackers to craft malicious requests that can execute arbitrary code on targeted systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within Puppet's report processing functionality. When a crafted report request is submitted to a vulnerable Puppet master server or an agent with puppet kick enabled, the system fails to properly validate the incoming data, leading to potential code injection attacks. This flaw operates at the application layer and leverages the authenticated user context to escalate privileges and execute malicious payloads. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-94, which describes "Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" and T1059.001 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: Command Shell" in its exploitation methods.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-2274 extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise of Puppet master servers and agent nodes. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain persistent access to configuration management infrastructure, potentially allowing them to modify system configurations, deploy malicious code across entire networks, or establish backdoors for continued unauthorized access. The implications are particularly severe for organizations that rely heavily on Puppet for infrastructure automation, as compromise of the Puppet master can effectively provide attackers with control over the entire configuration management ecosystem. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can lead to widespread system compromise when exploited in environments where Puppet is used for critical infrastructure management.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement mitigation strategies including applying the vendor-provided patches for Puppet 2.6.18 and Puppet Enterprise 1.2.7, which address the input validation issues in the report handling mechanism. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened to limit access to Puppet master servers and agents with puppet kick enabled, ensuring that only authorized personnel can submit reports. Monitoring and logging should be enhanced to detect anomalous report submission patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network-based intrusion detection systems to identify and block malicious requests targeting the specific vulnerable endpoints. The remediation process should include comprehensive vulnerability scanning across all Puppet installations to identify any remaining vulnerable instances, followed by thorough testing of patched systems to ensure that the security fixes do not introduce compatibility issues with existing Puppet configurations.