CVE-2014-1234 in paratrooper-newrelic
Summary
by MITRE
The paratrooper-newrelic gem 1.0.1 for Ruby allows local users to obtain the X-Api-Key value by listing the curl process.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-1234 affects the paratrooper-newrelic gem version 1.0.1 in ruby environments, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that exposes sensitive authentication credentials. This vulnerability resides within the gem's implementation of the newrelic monitoring integration, where it fails to properly secure the X-Api-Key value during process execution. The flaw allows local attackers with access to the system to obtain this critical credential through simple process enumeration techniques.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves the gem's use of curl commands to communicate with the newrelic monitoring service while inadvertently exposing the X-Api-Key in the process list. When the gem executes curl commands with the api key embedded in the command line arguments, the key becomes visible through process monitoring tools such as ps, top, or other system introspection utilities. This occurs because command line arguments are typically visible in the process table and can be accessed by any user with appropriate privileges on the system. The vulnerability is classified as a CWE-209 Information Exposure Through an Error Message, though it specifically manifests through process enumeration rather than error handling.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security risks for organizations using the paratrooper-newrelic gem in their ruby applications. Local users with minimal privileges can easily extract the X-Api-Key, which typically grants access to newrelic monitoring services and potentially allows for unauthorized data collection, service disruption, or even privilege escalation within the monitoring infrastructure. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as the api key could provide access to sensitive application performance data, user behavior analytics, and other monitoring information that organizations consider critical to their security posture. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.003 Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell, where attackers leverage process enumeration to extract credentials from command line arguments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include updating to a patched version of the paratrooper-newrelic gem that properly handles api key security by avoiding command line inclusion or implementing proper credential handling mechanisms. Organizations should also implement process monitoring and alerting systems to detect unauthorized access to credential information in process lists. The recommended approach involves using environment variables or configuration files for credential storage rather than command line arguments, which aligns with security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 standards for credential management. Additionally, system administrators should regularly audit process lists and implement least privilege access controls to limit who can enumerate processes on systems running vulnerable applications. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices and proper credential handling, particularly in monitoring and instrumentation tools that may be present in production environments where security controls are paramount.