CVE-2014-0180 in CloudForms 3.0 Management Engine
Summary
by MITRE
The wait_for_task function in app/controllers/application_controller.rb in Red Hat CloudForms 3.0 Management Engine (CFME) before 5.2.4.2 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop and CPU consumption) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/24/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0180 resides within the Red Hat CloudForms 3.0 Management Engine application controller, specifically in the wait_for_task function implementation. This flaw manifests in the application/controllers/application_controller.rb file and represents a critical denial of service vulnerability that can be exploited remotely by attackers. The affected version range includes CFME 3.0 prior to 5.2.4.2, indicating this was a persistent issue across multiple releases of the management platform. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of task waiting mechanisms that can lead to infinite loop conditions when processing certain requests.
The technical implementation flaw occurs within the wait_for_task function where the application fails to properly terminate loop iterations under specific conditions. When remote attackers submit crafted requests that trigger this function, the system enters an infinite loop that consumes excessive CPU resources without ever completing the task execution. This behavior constitutes a classic denial of service scenario where legitimate system resources become unavailable due to the malicious exploitation. The unspecified vectors suggest that multiple attack surfaces within the application can potentially trigger this condition, making the vulnerability particularly concerning from a security perspective. The flaw directly relates to CWE-835, which addresses infinite loops or iterations that can lead to resource exhaustion.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it can effectively render the CloudForms management engine unresponsive to legitimate requests. Attackers can consume system resources continuously, potentially causing cascading failures throughout the management infrastructure. The infinite loop condition means that affected systems may require manual intervention or restart to restore normal operations, leading to extended downtime and potential business disruption. Organizations relying on CFME for cloud management and orchestration could face significant operational challenges when this vulnerability is exploited in production environments. The remote exploitability aspect means that attackers do not need physical access or local privileges to cause this disruption, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-0180 should prioritize immediate patching of affected CFME installations to version 5.2.4.2 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of management interfaces to trusted networks only. Monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual CPU utilization patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing rate limiting and request timeout mechanisms can help reduce the impact of potential attacks. Security teams should also consider deploying intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious patterns in application controller requests. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patched environments to ensure that the fix does not introduce regressions in functionality while maintaining the security improvements. Organizations may also want to review their incident response procedures to ensure rapid detection and mitigation of similar vulnerabilities in the future.