CVE-2014-0135 in Kafo
Summary
by MITRE
Kafo before 0.3.17 and 0.4.x before 0.5.2, as used by Foreman, uses world-readable permissions for default_values.yaml, which allows local users to obtain passwords and other sensitive information by reading the file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/09/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0135 represents a critical misconfiguration issue within the Kafo framework version 0.3.16 and earlier, as well as version 0.4.x prior to 0.5.2, when integrated with the Foreman configuration management system. This flaw stems from improper file permission settings that allow any local user on the system to read the default_values.yaml configuration file, which contains sensitive authentication credentials and other confidential data. The vulnerability specifically affects systems where Kafo is used as a provisioning and configuration tool for managing infrastructure deployments through Foreman's web interface.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a simple file read operation that bypasses normal access controls. When Kafo generates or manages the default_values.yaml file, it sets world-readable permissions (typically 644 or equivalent) instead of restricting access to only authorized processes or users. This misconfiguration allows any local user to execute basic file reading commands and extract stored passwords, API keys, database credentials, and other sensitive configuration parameters. The flaw exists at the file system level and demonstrates poor security hygiene in privilege management and access control implementation. According to CWE-732, this represents an inadequate permission assignment vulnerability where incorrect file permissions are set, making sensitive data accessible to unauthorized users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations using Foreman with Kafo for infrastructure provisioning and management. Attackers who gain local access to systems running these vulnerable versions can easily extract authentication credentials and sensitive configuration data, potentially enabling them to escalate privileges, access other systems, or compromise entire infrastructure deployments. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in multi-tenant environments or shared hosting scenarios where multiple users may have local access to the same systems. This type of information disclosure aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.001, which covers "Unsecured Credentials" through the exploitation of weak file permissions. The exposure of passwords and credentials stored in configuration files can lead to cascading security breaches and unauthorized access to backend systems that rely on these values for authentication and authorization.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations by updating their Kafo installations to versions 0.3.17 or 0.5.2 and later, which properly enforce restricted file permissions. System administrators must also review existing default_values.yaml files and ensure they are protected with appropriate permissions, typically restricting access to the owner only. The recommended permission settings should be 600 or equivalent, ensuring that only the process owner can read the file. Additionally, security auditing procedures should include verification of file permissions for all configuration files containing sensitive data. Organizations should implement automated monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive configuration files and establish regular security reviews of system configurations to prevent similar issues in other components of their infrastructure management stack. The vulnerability highlights the importance of principle of least privilege and proper access control implementation in security-critical systems.