CVE-2016-0707 in Ambari
Summary
by MITRE
The agent in Apache Ambari before 2.1.2 uses weak permissions for the (1) /var/lib/ambari-agent/data and (2) /var/lib/ambari-agent/keys directories, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information by reading files in the directories.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/02/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0707 resides within Apache Ambari's agent component, specifically affecting versions prior to 2.1.2. This security flaw manifests through improper permission settings on critical system directories that store sensitive operational data. The affected directories include /var/lib/ambari-agent/data and /var/lib/ambari-agent/keys, which serve as repositories for essential configuration information and cryptographic keys necessary for cluster management operations. These directories are designed to house sensitive data including cluster configurations, host information, and authentication credentials that are crucial for maintaining the integrity and security of the Hadoop ecosystem managed by Ambari.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the agent's failure to enforce proper access controls on these directories. The weak permissions allow any local user on the system to read files within these locations, effectively bypassing the intended security boundaries. This misconfiguration creates an information disclosure scenario where unauthorized local entities can access sensitive operational data that should remain protected. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-732 as improper permission assignment for critical resources, representing a fundamental failure in privilege management and access control enforcement. Attackers exploiting this weakness can potentially extract cluster configuration details, host-specific information, and cryptographic keys that may facilitate further attacks or compromise the broader Hadoop cluster infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the exposed data can significantly aid adversaries in planning more sophisticated attacks against the managed cluster. Local users who gain access to these directories can obtain detailed information about cluster topology, service configurations, and potentially extract authentication tokens or keys that could be used for privilege escalation or lateral movement within the cluster environment. This vulnerability directly impacts the principle of least privilege and creates opportunities for attackers to gain deeper insights into the system architecture, potentially enabling them to identify additional attack vectors or exploit other weaknesses in the cluster management infrastructure. The exposure of such sensitive data undermines the security posture of the entire Hadoop ecosystem managed by Ambari.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-0707 require immediate implementation of proper directory permissions and access control measures. System administrators should ensure that the /var/lib/ambari-agent/data and /var/lib/ambari-agent/keys directories are configured with restrictive permissions, typically limiting access to the ambari-agent process and authorized system administrators only. The recommended approach involves setting appropriate ownership and permission levels using standard unix file permission mechanisms, ensuring that these directories are not accessible to arbitrary local users. Additionally, organizations should implement regular security audits to verify that proper access controls remain in place and consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized access attempts to these sensitive directories. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005 as a method for collecting data, and T1087 as a means of account discovery, highlighting the importance of proper access control enforcement in maintaining system security. The remediation process should also include updating to Apache Ambari version 2.1.2 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to address the weak permissions issue and restore proper security controls.