CVE-2015-5329 in Enterprise Linux OpenStack
Summary
by MITRE
The TripleO Heat templates (tripleo-heat-templates), as used in Red Hat Enterprise Linux OpenStack Platform 7.0, do not properly use the configured RabbitMQ credentials, which makes it easier for remote attackers to obtain access to services in deployed overclouds by leveraging knowledge of the default credentials.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/13/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-5329 affects the TripleO Heat templates implementation within Red Hat Enterprise Linux OpenStack Platform 7.0, representing a critical security flaw in cloud infrastructure deployment mechanisms. This issue stems from improper handling of RabbitMQ credentials during overcloud deployment processes, creating a significant attack surface that adversaries can exploit to gain unauthorized access to deployed services. The vulnerability specifically manifests in the failure of the TripleO Heat templates to properly utilize configured RabbitMQ credentials, instead falling back to default credential values that are widely known and documented within the security community.
The technical flaw resides in the template configuration logic where the system does not adequately validate or enforce the use of custom RabbitMQ credentials provided during deployment. This misconfiguration creates a persistent security weakness that allows remote attackers to leverage well-known default credentials to establish connections to RabbitMQ services within the deployed overcloud environment. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-798 as the use of hard-coded credentials, and it directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.101 which involves legitimate credentials used for persistence and privilege escalation. When attackers can access RabbitMQ services, they gain the ability to manipulate message queues and potentially disrupt or compromise the entire cloud infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential exposure, as RabbitMQ serves as a critical messaging broker for OpenStack services, facilitating communication between various components including Nova, Neutron, and Cinder. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can potentially intercept, modify, or inject messages into the cloud infrastructure, leading to service disruption, data manipulation, or unauthorized access to cloud resources. The default credentials used are typically well-documented and easily discoverable through public repositories, making this attack vector particularly dangerous for environments that fail to properly configure their RabbitMQ authentication settings during deployment.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-5329 require immediate implementation of proper credential management practices within the TripleO Heat templates. Organizations should ensure that RabbitMQ credentials are properly configured and validated during the deployment process, with no fallback to default values. The recommended approach involves implementing robust credential injection mechanisms that enforce the use of custom credentials rather than relying on hardcoded defaults. Security configurations should include mandatory credential validation steps within the Heat templates, and administrators must verify that all deployed overcloud environments properly utilize configured credentials rather than default values. Additionally, network segmentation and access control measures should be implemented to limit exposure of RabbitMQ services to only authorized components, reducing the attack surface and preventing unauthorized access even if credential exposure occurs. Regular security audits and configuration reviews should be conducted to ensure compliance with security best practices and prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future deployments.