CVE-2015-1613 in Rhodecode Enterprise
Summary
by MITRE
RhodeCode before 2.2.7 allows remote authenticated users to obtain API keys and other sensitive information via the (1) update_repo, (2) get_locks, or (3) get_user_groups API method.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/13/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1613 affects RhodeCode versions prior to 2.2.7 and represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the application's API interface. This vulnerability specifically targets three distinct API methods: update_repo, get_locks, and get_user_groups, all of which are accessible to authenticated users. The flaw enables remote attackers who have gained authentication credentials to exploit these methods and extract sensitive information including API keys, user group memberships, and potentially other confidential data from the system. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and access control mechanisms within the API implementation, allowing authenticated users to manipulate API calls to retrieve data they should not have access to based on their privileges.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves leveraging the authenticated user's session to make API requests to the vulnerable methods. When these methods are invoked, they fail to properly validate the requesting user's permissions or sanitize the data being returned. This allows attackers to extract API keys that could be used to impersonate other users or gain administrative access to the RhodeCode instance. The get_user_groups method particularly exposes sensitive information about user permissions and organizational structures, while update_repo and get_locks methods can reveal repository access patterns and locking mechanisms that could be exploited for privilege escalation or further attacks. The vulnerability is classified as a weakness in the application's authorization and authentication controls, aligning with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control issues.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations using RhodeCode as their source code management platform. Attackers who obtain API keys through this vulnerability could potentially gain persistent access to repositories, modify code, or escalate privileges to administrative levels. The exposure of user group information could enable attackers to understand the organizational structure and plan more sophisticated attacks targeting specific user roles or repository permissions. Additionally, the ability to extract API keys means that attackers could use these credentials to access other systems or services that rely on the same authentication tokens, potentially leading to lateral movement within the network. This vulnerability particularly affects continuous integration environments where API keys are frequently used for automated deployments and build processes.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to RhodeCode version 2.2.7 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the improper access control issues. Additional security measures should include implementing stricter API rate limiting, monitoring for unusual API access patterns, and conducting regular audits of API key usage. Security teams should also review and enforce proper access control policies, ensuring that API methods are properly validated against user permissions before returning sensitive data. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of principle of least privilege in API design and highlights the need for comprehensive input validation and output sanitization. Organizations should also consider implementing additional monitoring controls to detect unauthorized access attempts to sensitive API endpoints, as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's techniques for credential access and privilege escalation.