CVE-2015-6861 in Helion Eucalyptus
Summary
by MITRE
HPE Helion Eucalyptus 3.4.0 through 4.2.0 allows remote authenticated users to bypass an intended AssumeRole permission requirement and assume an IAM role by leveraging a policy setting for a user's account.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/30/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-6861 represents a critical access control flaw within HPE Helion Eucalyptus cloud infrastructure platforms. This issue affects versions 3.4.0 through 4.2.0 of the Eucalyptus cloud management system, which is designed to provide private and hybrid cloud computing environments. The flaw specifically targets the Identity and Access Management (IAM) component of the platform, creating a pathway for authenticated attackers to escalate their privileges and assume roles they should not be authorized to access. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of permission requirements within the IAM subsystem, allowing malicious actors with legitimate credentials to bypass intended security controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a misconfiguration in how the system validates user permissions when attempting to assume IAM roles. When users attempt to assume roles within the Eucalyptus environment, the platform should enforce strict permission checks that verify whether the requesting user has the appropriate authorization to perform this action. However, the flaw allows attackers to exploit a specific policy setting associated with their user account to circumvent these checks. This typically occurs through manipulation of access control policies or by leveraging existing permissions to construct requests that bypass the intended AssumeRole validation mechanisms. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only authenticated access, meaning an attacker with valid user credentials can exploit this flaw without needing additional privileges or elevated access rights.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-6861 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, potentially enabling attackers to gain access to sensitive cloud resources, data, and services within the compromised environment. This vulnerability could allow unauthorized users to assume administrative roles, access confidential customer data, modify cloud configurations, or even compromise the entire cloud infrastructure. The implications are significant for organizations relying on Eucalyptus for their cloud computing needs, as it undermines the fundamental security principles of least privilege and role-based access control that are essential for cloud security. Organizations using affected versions of HPE Helion Eucalyptus may experience unauthorized access to their cloud resources, potential data breaches, and compromise of their overall cloud security posture.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation through software updates and patches provided by HPE, as well as implementing additional access control measures. Organizations should prioritize upgrading to versions of HPE Helion Eucalyptus that have addressed this specific flaw, typically those beyond version 4.2.0. In the interim, administrators should review and tighten IAM policies, implement additional monitoring for suspicious role assumption activities, and conduct thorough access control audits. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control in software systems, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and privilege escalation. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation, enhanced logging, and regular security assessments to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The incident highlights the importance of comprehensive security testing and validation of access control mechanisms in cloud environments, particularly in complex distributed systems where multiple authentication and authorization layers interact.