CVE-2014-8124 in Horizon
Summary
by MITRE
OpenStack Dashboard (Horizon) before 2014.1.3 and 2014.2.x before 2014.2.1 does not properly handle session records when using a db or memcached session engine, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a large number of requests to the login page.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/07/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-8124 affects OpenStack Dashboard (Horizon) versions prior to 2014.1.3 and 2014.2.x versions prior to 2014.2.1, representing a critical denial of service weakness that stems from improper session record handling within the application's session management subsystem. This flaw specifically manifests when the dashboard utilizes either database or memcached session engines, creating a condition where malicious actors can exploit the system's resource management mechanisms to disrupt legitimate service availability.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insufficient validation and management of session records during authentication processes. When users attempt to access the login page, the system creates session entries that are not properly cleaned up or limited in quantity, allowing attackers to flood the session storage with numerous invalid or malicious requests. This behavior creates a resource exhaustion condition where the session storage mechanisms become overwhelmed with duplicate or excessive session entries, ultimately leading to service unavailability for legitimate users attempting to access the dashboard.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to cloud infrastructure administrators who rely on OpenStack Dashboard for managing their cloud environments. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal sophistication to execute, as attackers only need to make repeated requests to the login endpoint to trigger the denial of service condition. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption, potentially affecting critical cloud management operations and compromising the availability of the entire OpenStack deployment. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which categorizes improper resource management as a common weakness in software systems, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks.
The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates how session management flaws can be leveraged to create cascading system failures in cloud environments. When the session storage becomes saturated, legitimate user sessions may be denied or delayed, creating a scenario where authorized administrators cannot access critical management interfaces. This creates a particularly dangerous situation for cloud providers who depend on dashboard availability for monitoring and managing their infrastructure. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper session cleanup mechanisms and resource limiting controls within web applications, as the absence of these protections can lead to complete service disruption.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-8124 require immediate implementation of version updates to the affected OpenStack Dashboard components, specifically upgrading to versions 2014.1.3 or later for the 2014.1.x series and 2014.2.1 or later for the 2014.2.x series. Additionally, system administrators should implement proper session cleanup policies and resource limits on session storage mechanisms, particularly when using database or memcached backends. Network-level protections such as rate limiting on login endpoints and monitoring for unusual session creation patterns can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. Organizations should also consider implementing more robust session management frameworks that automatically purge stale sessions and enforce session limits to prevent resource exhaustion conditions. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date software components and implementing proper resource management practices in cloud environments.