CVE-2016-0715 in Cloud Foundry Elastic Runtime
Summary
by MITRE
Pivotal Cloud Foundry Elastic Runtime version 1.4.0 through 1.4.5, 1.5.0 through 1.5.11 and 1.6.0 through 1.6.11 is vulnerable to a remote information disclosure. It was found that original mitigation configuration instructions provided as part of CVE-2016-0708 were incomplete and could leave PHP Buildpack, Staticfile Buildpack and potentially other custom Buildpack applications vulnerable to remote information disclosure. Affected applications use automated buildpack detection, serve files directly from the root of the application and have a buildpack that matched after the Java Buildpack in the system buildpack priority when Java Buildpack versions 2.0 through 3.4 were present.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2020
The vulnerability described in CVE-2016-0715 represents a significant information disclosure flaw within Pivotal Cloud Foundry Elastic Runtime environments. This issue specifically affects versions ranging from 1.4.0 through 1.4.5, 1.5.0 through 1.5.11, and 1.6.0 through 1.6.11, creating a persistent security risk for organizations relying on these platforms. The vulnerability stems from an incomplete mitigation approach that was initially provided for CVE-2016-0708, leaving critical applications exposed to unauthorized information disclosure attacks. The flaw particularly impacts applications that utilize automated buildpack detection mechanisms, where the system's buildpack priority ordering creates exploitable conditions for malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through a specific buildpack prioritization issue within the Cloud Foundry platform architecture. When Java Buildpack versions 2.0 through 3.4 are present in the system, and applications use automated buildpack detection while serving files directly from their application root directory, the platform's buildpack selection process creates a condition where PHP Buildpack, Staticfile Buildpack, and potentially other custom Buildpack applications can be incorrectly identified. This misidentification allows attackers to exploit the system's handling of buildpack detection, enabling them to access sensitive information that should remain protected within the application environment. The vulnerability operates at the platform level where buildpack priority order determines how applications are processed and secured.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, creating potential pathways for more sophisticated attacks within Cloud Foundry environments. Organizations running affected versions of Pivotal Cloud Foundry face risks including exposure of application configuration details, potential credential leakage, and access to internal system information that could aid in further exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple version ranges indicates a fundamental flaw in how the platform handles buildpack prioritization and security boundaries, particularly when multiple buildpack types are present in the system. This creates a widespread risk that affects numerous applications deployed across different Cloud Foundry instances.
Security mitigations for CVE-2016-0715 require comprehensive configuration changes to address the underlying buildpack prioritization issues. Organizations must ensure that buildpack detection mechanisms are properly configured to prevent incorrect buildpack assignment, particularly when Java Buildpack versions 2.0 through 3.4 are present. The recommended approach involves updating the buildpack priority order to prevent PHP, Staticfile, and other custom buildpack applications from being incorrectly processed by the Java Buildpack detection system. Additionally, administrators should implement proper application root directory access controls and consider disabling automated buildpack detection for applications where such vulnerabilities have been identified. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1082, which covers system information discovery, as attackers could leverage this flaw to gather detailed system information for further exploitation attempts.