CVE-2013-6428 in Heat
Summary
by MITRE
The ReST API in OpenStack Orchestration API (Heat) before Havana 2013.2.1 and Icehouse before icehouse-2 allows remote authenticated users to bypass the tenant scoping restrictions via a modified tenant_id in the request path.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-6428 represents a critical authorization flaw within the OpenStack Orchestration API component known as Heat. This issue affects versions prior to Havana 2013.2.1 and Icehouse before icehouse-2, exposing systems to unauthorized access that could compromise tenant isolation and data security. The vulnerability specifically targets the ReST API implementation within Heat, which is responsible for managing cloud orchestration services and template deployments across OpenStack environments.
The technical flaw stems from improper validation of tenant identifiers within API request paths, allowing authenticated users to manipulate the tenant_id parameter and bypass the intended tenant scoping restrictions. This occurs because the API fails to properly verify that the tenant_id in the request path corresponds to the authenticated user's actual tenant membership. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious requests that include modified tenant_id values, effectively impersonating users from other tenants within the same OpenStack deployment. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the existing authentication mechanisms to gain unauthorized access to resources belonging to different tenants.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it undermines the fundamental security principle of tenant isolation that is essential for multi-tenant cloud environments. An attacker with valid credentials can access, modify, or delete resources belonging to other tenants, potentially leading to data breaches, service disruption, and unauthorized resource consumption. This cross-tenant access could enable attackers to escalate privileges, exfiltrate sensitive information, or disrupt services across multiple organizations sharing the same OpenStack infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in shared cloud environments where multiple customers rely on tenant isolation for security and compliance requirements.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-6428 involve upgrading to patched versions of OpenStack Heat that properly enforce tenant scoping restrictions. Organizations should implement immediate patch management procedures to update their Heat services to versions that address this authorization flaw. Additional defensive measures include implementing proper API request validation, enforcing strict tenant ownership checks, and deploying network segmentation controls to limit access to orchestration services. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous API access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-285 which addresses improper authorization in software systems and relates to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential access through API manipulation. Organizations should also consider implementing role-based access controls and regular security audits to prevent similar authorization bypass issues in other components of their cloud infrastructure.