CVE-2014-3250 in puppet
Summary
by MITRE
The default vhost configuration file in Puppet before 3.6.2 does not include the SSLCARevocationCheck directive, which might allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information via a revoked certificate when a Puppet master runs with Apache 2.4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-3250 represents a critical security flaw in Puppet's default virtual host configuration for Apache 2.4 deployments. This issue affects Puppet versions prior to 3.6.2 and stems from the absence of proper SSL certificate revocation checking mechanisms within the default configuration files. The vulnerability specifically impacts environments where Puppet masters operate using Apache 2.4 as the web server backend, creating a potential attack vector that could be exploited by remote adversaries to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information.
The technical flaw manifests through the missing SSLCARevocationCheck directive in Puppet's default Apache virtual host configuration. This directive is essential for enforcing certificate revocation checks against Certificate Authority (CA) certificate revocation lists, which are critical for maintaining secure communication channels. Without this directive, Apache 2.4 fails to validate whether certificates presented by clients have been revoked, potentially allowing attackers to present compromised certificates that would otherwise be rejected by proper revocation checking mechanisms. The vulnerability falls under CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation and revocation checking in security protocols, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.001 related to credentials from password storage repositories.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates a pathway for man-in-the-middle attacks and potential privilege escalation within Puppet-managed environments. Attackers could exploit this weakness by presenting revoked certificates to the Puppet master, potentially bypassing authentication mechanisms and gaining unauthorized access to configuration data, sensitive system information, or even administrative privileges within the Puppet infrastructure. The consequences are particularly severe in enterprise environments where Puppet is commonly used for configuration management across critical infrastructure components, as the compromise of a Puppet master could lead to widespread unauthorized access and control.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including updating to Puppet version 3.6.2 or later, which includes the proper SSLCARevocationCheck directive in default configurations. Additionally, system administrators should manually verify and update their Apache virtual host configurations to include the SSLCARevocationCheck directive with appropriate settings such as "chain" or "leaf" depending on the specific security requirements. The mitigation strategy should also include regular certificate lifecycle management practices, including timely revocation of compromised certificates and implementation of automated certificate monitoring systems. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of their Puppet infrastructure to ensure all master nodes are properly configured and monitor for any unauthorized certificate usage patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.