CVE-2014-8162 in Spacewalk
Summary
by MITRE
XML external entity (XXE) in the RPC interface in Spacewalk and Red Hat Network (RHN) Satellite 5.7 and earlier allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files and possibly have other unspecified impact via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-8162 represents a critical XML external entity processing flaw within the remote procedure call interface of Spacewalk and Red Hat Network Satellite versions 5.7 and earlier. This issue falls under the category of CWE-611, specifically addressing XML external entity processing vulnerabilities that can lead to unauthorized data access and potential system compromise. The vulnerability exists in the way these systems handle XML input through their RPC interfaces, creating an attack surface where malicious actors can manipulate XML parsing behavior to access sensitive system resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the XML processing components of the affected systems. When the RPC interface receives XML data containing external entity declarations, the system fails to properly restrict or disable external entity resolution, allowing attackers to craft malicious XML payloads that reference local files on the server. This flaw enables unauthorized file access through various means including direct file path references, protocol handlers, and potentially even network-based resource access. The unspecified nature of additional impacts suggests that this vulnerability may also enable other attack vectors beyond simple file reading.
Operationally, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations using affected versions of Spacewalk or Red Hat Network Satellite systems. Remote attackers can leverage this XXE vulnerability to access sensitive configuration files, credential stores, system logs, and other confidential data residing on the affected servers. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure as the vulnerability may enable further exploitation pathways including potential privilege escalation, service disruption, or even complete system compromise depending on the permissions and access controls in place. Organizations relying on these systems for system management and monitoring face elevated risk of data breaches and operational disruption.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-8162 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to the latest available versions that contain proper XML entity processing controls. Organizations should implement strict XML input validation and disable external entity resolution in all XML processing components, particularly within RPC interfaces and web services. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit exposure of affected systems to untrusted networks. Additionally, regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues in other components of the system infrastructure. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, highlighting the importance of proper input validation and secure coding practices in preventing such attacks.