CVE-2014-3674 in OpenShift
Summary
by MITRE
Red Hat OpenShift Enterprise before 2.2 does not properly restrict access to gears, which allows remote attackers to access the network resources of arbitrary gears via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/03/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-3674 affects Red Hat OpenShift Enterprise versions prior to 2.2, representing a critical access control flaw that undermines the fundamental security model of the platform. This issue stems from insufficient restrictions on gear access, which are the fundamental computational units within OpenShift's containerized architecture. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to bypass intended network isolation boundaries and gain unauthorized access to resources belonging to other gears within the same environment, fundamentally compromising the multi-tenant security model that OpenShift relies upon for protecting customer applications and data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability lies in the improper enforcement of network access controls between gears, which are essentially lightweight virtual machines or containers hosting individual applications. When a malicious actor exploits this weakness, they can traverse network boundaries that should normally be protected by the platform's security architecture, potentially accessing sensitive data, intercepting communications, or even launching further attacks against other applications running on the same infrastructure. This flaw operates at the network layer and could be leveraged through various attack vectors that are not explicitly detailed in the original CVE description, but would typically involve network reconnaissance and connection manipulation techniques. The vulnerability specifically impacts the isolation mechanisms that separate different user applications and their associated network resources, creating a scenario where one user's gear could potentially access another user's network services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple information disclosure, as it fundamentally undermines the trust model of cloud-based application platforms. Organizations using OpenShift Enterprise prior to version 2.2 faced significant risks including data breaches, service disruption, and potential compliance violations when customer applications running on the same platform could have their network communications intercepted or accessed by unauthorized parties. The attack surface expands dramatically as attackers can potentially move laterally between gears, escalate privileges, or even access shared infrastructure components that should remain isolated. This vulnerability directly impacts the platform's ability to provide secure multi-tenant environments, which is a core requirement for cloud service providers and enterprise customers relying on containerized application deployment. The consequences could include loss of customer confidence, regulatory penalties, and substantial financial losses due to compromised applications and data exposure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-3674 should prioritize immediate upgrades to Red Hat OpenShift Enterprise version 2.2 or later, which contains the necessary security patches to address the access control vulnerabilities. Organizations should also implement additional network segmentation measures, including the deployment of firewalls and network access control lists to further restrict inter-gear communications. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual network activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and regular security assessments should be conducted to verify that proper isolation boundaries remain intact. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability would likely trigger requirements under standards such as iso 27001 and nist cyber security framework, particularly in areas concerning information system security and access control. The remediation process should also include comprehensive testing of network isolation mechanisms to ensure that the patched version properly enforces access controls between different gears and that no residual vulnerabilities exist in the platform's security architecture.