CVE-2013-4518 in Update Infrastructure
Summary
by MITRE
RHUI (Red Hat Update Infrastructure) 2.1.3 has world readable PKI entitlement certificates
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/04/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4518 affects RHUI (Red Hat Update Infrastructure) version 2.1.3, specifically exposing a critical misconfiguration in the handling of PKI entitlement certificates. This issue represents a significant security flaw that undermines the integrity of the update infrastructure by making sensitive cryptographic credentials accessible to unauthorized users. The vulnerability stems from improper file permissions that allow any user on the system to read the PKI certificates used for authentication and authorization within the RHUI environment.
The technical flaw manifests as world-readable permissions on PKI entitlement certificates, which are essential components for establishing secure communication between client systems and the update infrastructure. These certificates contain critical authentication information that should remain confidential and protected from unauthorized access. When certificates are configured with world-read permissions, they become immediately accessible to all users on the system, effectively nullifying the security controls designed to protect the update process. This misconfiguration creates a pathway for potential attackers to obtain valid credentials that could be used to impersonate legitimate systems within the RHUI environment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it fundamentally compromises the security posture of organizations relying on RHUI for system updates. Attackers who gain access to these certificates could potentially manipulate update processes, inject malicious software into the update stream, or establish persistent access points within the infrastructure. The vulnerability affects the entire RHUI ecosystem by undermining trust in the update mechanism, potentially allowing for supply chain attacks where malicious updates could be distributed to multiple systems simultaneously. Organizations using RHUI 2.1.3 are particularly at risk since the flaw affects the core authentication infrastructure that governs access to update repositories.
The security implications align with CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource, which specifically addresses situations where critical system resources receive insufficient protection through improper access control mechanisms. This vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1556.002: Modify Authentication Process, as it enables attackers to modify the authentication flow by leveraging compromised certificates. Organizations should immediately implement remediation measures by correcting file permissions on PKI certificates to ensure only authorized processes can access them. The fix typically involves setting restrictive permissions such as 600 or 640 on certificate files, ensuring that only the owner or specific system processes have read access. Additionally, system administrators should conduct comprehensive audits of all PKI certificate files within the RHUI environment to identify and correct similar misconfigurations. Regular security monitoring and access control reviews become essential practices to prevent future occurrences of such vulnerabilities in update infrastructure components.