CVE-2015-1852 in keystonemiddleware
Summary
by MITRE
The s3_token middleware in OpenStack keystonemiddleware before 1.6.0 and python-keystoneclient before 1.4.0 disables certification verification when the "insecure" option is set in a paste configuration (paste.ini) file regardless of the value, which allows remote attackers to conduct man-in-the-middle attacks via a crafted certificate, a different vulnerability than CVE-2014-7144.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/09/2022
The s3_token middleware vulnerability in OpenStack keystonemiddleware represents a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of authentication processes within cloud environments. This vulnerability affects versions prior to 1.6.0 of keystonemiddleware and python-keystoneclient versions before 1.4.0, creating a persistent risk for organizations relying on OpenStack infrastructure. The flaw manifests when administrators configure the middleware with the "insecure" option in paste.ini configuration files, where the system automatically disables certificate verification regardless of the option's actual value.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of the insecure flag within the middleware's certificate validation logic. When the insecure option is present in the configuration, the middleware bypasses all certificate verification procedures, effectively creating a trust boundary that can be exploited by malicious actors. This behavior violates fundamental security principles and creates an attack surface that allows adversaries to perform man-in-the-middle attacks without requiring valid credentials or advanced exploitation techniques. The vulnerability specifically targets the SSL/TLS certificate validation process, which is essential for establishing secure communication channels between clients and OpenStack services.
Operationally, this vulnerability poses significant risks to cloud infrastructure security as it enables attackers to intercept and manipulate authentication traffic between clients and Keystone services. The man-in-the-middle capability allows threat actors to capture authentication tokens, potentially gaining unauthorized access to cloud resources and services. Organizations utilizing OpenStack environments with affected middleware versions face elevated risk of credential theft, service disruption, and unauthorized data access. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple authentication bypass, as it can facilitate broader attacks including privilege escalation and lateral movement within cloud networks. Security professionals must recognize that this vulnerability operates independently from other known issues such as CVE-2014-7144, making it a distinct threat vector requiring separate mitigation strategies.
The security implications of CVE-2015-1852 align with common weakness enumerations identified in CWE-295, which specifically addresses improper certificate validation and certificate pinning issues. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under credential access and defense evasion domains, where attackers can leverage insecure communication channels to harvest authentication credentials. The vulnerability's persistence in configuration files makes it particularly dangerous as it can remain undetected for extended periods, especially in environments where administrators may not regularly audit middleware configurations. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized configuration changes and establish automated compliance checks to ensure middleware components remain secure. The recommended remediation involves upgrading to patched versions of keystonemiddleware and python-keystoneclient, while also implementing strict configuration management practices to prevent the inadvertent enabling of insecure options in production environments.