CVE-2014-0229 in Hadoop
Summary
by MITRE
Apache Hadoop 0.23.x before 0.23.11 and 2.x before 2.4.1, as used in Cloudera CDH 5.0.x before 5.0.2, do not check authorization for the (1) refreshNamenodes, (2) deleteBlockPool, and (3) shutdownDatanode HDFS admin commands, which allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (DataNodes shutdown) or perform unnecessary operations by issuing a command.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/11/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0229 represents a critical authorization flaw within Apache Hadoop distributions that affected versions prior to 0.23.11 and 2.4.1. This security weakness specifically targets the Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) administrative commands, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers to exploit the system through three distinct administrative operations. The vulnerability manifests in Cloudera CDH 5.0.x versions before 5.0.2, making it particularly concerning for organizations relying on these platforms for large-scale data processing and storage. The flaw stems from insufficient authorization checks that should have validated user permissions before executing sensitive administrative functions within the distributed file system architecture.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves three specific administrative commands that lack proper authorization verification mechanisms. The refreshNamenodes command allows for refreshing the namenode configuration, the deleteBlockPool command enables deletion of block pools, and the shutdownDatanode command permits shutting down datanodes. These commands are designed to be executed only by authorized administrators with appropriate privileges, yet the flaw allows any authenticated user to invoke these operations without proper verification. This authorization bypass creates a pathway for malicious actors to disrupt cluster operations or perform unauthorized administrative actions that could severely impact system availability and data integrity. The vulnerability operates at the core of HDFS administration, where the absence of proper access controls enables attackers to manipulate distributed storage components.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-0229 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, creating substantial risk for distributed computing environments that rely on Hadoop for data storage and processing. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to cause denial of service conditions by shutting down datanodes, effectively disrupting data availability and cluster functionality. The potential for unnecessary operations execution means that attackers could perform destructive actions such as deleting block pools, which would result in data loss or corruption. This vulnerability directly affects the availability and integrity of distributed storage systems, particularly concerning the core HDFS components that manage data distribution across multiple nodes. Organizations utilizing affected Hadoop versions face significant risk of operational disruption and data compromise, as the flaw enables authenticated users to perform actions that should be restricted to privileged administrators only.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control mechanisms, and represents a classic example of insufficient authorization checks in distributed systems. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this weakness maps to privilege escalation and denial of service tactics, allowing adversaries to gain unauthorized access to administrative functions and disrupt system operations. The flaw demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation in distributed computing environments where multiple users interact with shared resources. Organizations should prioritize patching affected systems and implementing additional monitoring controls to detect unauthorized administrative command execution. Security teams must also consider the broader implications of this vulnerability within their network infrastructure, as it could enable attackers to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within affected Hadoop clusters. The remediation process requires updating to patched versions of Apache Hadoop and ensuring that proper authentication and authorization mechanisms are in place for all administrative functions.
This vulnerability highlights the critical need for comprehensive security testing of distributed systems and proper implementation of access control mechanisms in large-scale data processing platforms. The impact extends beyond immediate operational concerns to include potential data loss, service disruption, and compromise of sensitive information stored within affected clusters. Organizations should conduct thorough assessments of their Hadoop deployments to identify all affected versions and implement appropriate security controls. The flaw serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect critical infrastructure components. Proper monitoring and logging of administrative activities should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts and provide forensic capabilities for incident response.