CVE-2013-2756 in CloudPlatform
Summary
by MITRE
Apache CloudStack 4.0.0 before 4.0.2 and Citrix CloudPlatform (formerly Citrix CloudStack) 3.0.x before 3.0.6 Patch C allows remote attackers to bypass the console proxy authentication by leveraging knowledge of the source code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/21/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-2756 affects Apache CloudStack versions 4.0.0 through 4.0.1 and Citrix CloudPlatform 3.0.x versions prior to 3.0.6 Patch C, representing a critical authentication bypass flaw that undermines the security of cloud infrastructure management systems. This vulnerability specifically targets the console proxy authentication mechanism, which serves as a critical control point for accessing virtual machine consoles within cloud environments. The flaw stems from insufficient authentication checks that allow attackers to bypass the console proxy authentication process by leveraging knowledge of the application's internal source code structure and implementation details.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a combination of source code analysis and network-based attacks that enable unauthorized access to virtual machine console sessions. Attackers who possess sufficient knowledge of the console proxy implementation can craft specific requests that circumvent the normal authentication flow, effectively gaining access to console sessions that should be restricted to authorized users only. This represents a significant weakness in the application's security architecture, as it demonstrates that the authentication mechanism can be defeated through reverse engineering and code analysis rather than through traditional credential compromise techniques. The vulnerability falls under the category of weak authentication controls and improper access control mechanisms as defined by CWE-287 and CWE-305 respectively.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with the ability to monitor, control, and potentially compromise virtual machine sessions running within the cloud environment. This could enable attackers to extract sensitive data, modify virtual machine configurations, execute malicious code within guest operating systems, or even use the compromised console sessions as a foothold for further attacks within the cloud infrastructure. The vulnerability particularly affects cloud environments where console access is used for administrative tasks, debugging, or system maintenance, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to gain deeper access to cloud resources. Organizations using affected versions of CloudStack or Citrix CloudPlatform face significant risk of data breaches and unauthorized system manipulation.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability include immediate patching to versions 4.0.2 or 3.0.6 Patch C, which contain the necessary fixes for the console proxy authentication bypass. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring and logging of console proxy access attempts to detect potential exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access controls should be strengthened around console proxy services, while regular security assessments of cloud infrastructure components should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce compatibility issues with existing cloud deployments. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and T1566 which covers credential access through exploitation of vulnerabilities, demonstrating the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper access controls in cloud environments.