CVE-2015-5274 in OpenShift
Summary
by MITRE
rubygem-openshift-origin-console in Red Hat OpenShift 2.2 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands via a crafted request to the Broker.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/18/2022
The rubygem-openshift-origin-console vulnerability in Red Hat OpenShift 2.2 represents a critical command injection flaw that enables authenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on the system. This vulnerability exists within the broker component of the OpenShift platform, which serves as the central management interface for containerized applications. The flaw allows malicious actors who have already established authentication credentials to manipulate the console's request handling mechanisms and inject malicious commands that are then executed with the privileges of the broker process.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the console's request processing pipeline. When authenticated users submit crafted requests to the broker, the system fails to properly escape or validate user-supplied data before incorporating it into system commands or shell executions. This classic command injection vulnerability falls under the CWE-77 category, specifically representing CWE-78 which deals with improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the broker level where the system has elevated privileges and can directly interact with underlying operating system resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. An attacker with valid credentials can leverage this flaw to gain full control over the OpenShift environment, potentially leading to data exfiltration, service disruption, or lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability affects the entire OpenShift 2.2 ecosystem since the broker component is fundamental to system operations and user management. Depending on the system configuration, attackers could potentially escalate privileges beyond the initial authenticated session, access other user accounts, or even compromise the underlying infrastructure. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve immediate patching of the rubygem-openshift-origin-console package to the latest secure versions provided by Red Hat. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit the blast radius of potential exploitation. Additional protective measures include monitoring for unusual request patterns and implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious command injection attempts. Security teams should conduct comprehensive assessments of their OpenShift environments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other components. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and input validation in enterprise systems, particularly those handling user-supplied data in privileged contexts. Organizations should also consider implementing automated vulnerability scanning and continuous monitoring solutions to detect and respond to similar threats in their infrastructure.