CVE-2016-10362 in Logstash
Summary
by MITRE
Prior to Logstash version 5.0.1, Elasticsearch Output plugin when updating connections after sniffing, would log to file HTTP basic auth credentials.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/18/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10362 affects Logstash versions prior to 5.0.1 and specifically involves the Elasticsearch output plugin's handling of HTTP basic authentication credentials during connection updates following sniffing operations. This issue represents a critical security flaw that exposes sensitive authentication information in log files, potentially compromising system security and data integrity. The vulnerability occurs within the plugin's connection management logic where it fails to properly sanitize authentication credentials before writing them to log files during the connection update process.
The technical flaw stems from improper credential handling within the Elasticsearch output plugin's sniffing mechanism. When Logstash performs connection sniffing to discover available nodes in an Elasticsearch cluster, it updates its connection parameters and logs these details to file. During this process, HTTP basic authentication credentials are inadvertently included in the logged output without proper sanitization or removal. This behavior violates fundamental security principles of credential handling and exposes authentication tokens to unauthorized access through log file examination. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-532, which addresses information exposure through log files, and represents a specific instance of improper credential handling in network communication components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows attackers who gain access to log files to extract HTTP basic authentication credentials that can be used to gain unauthorized access to Elasticsearch clusters. This exposure enables privilege escalation attacks, data exfiltration, and potential system compromise. The vulnerability affects organizations using older Logstash versions in production environments where log files may be accessible to unauthorized personnel or where log retention policies include sensitive credential information. Attackers could leverage this information to perform unauthorized operations against Elasticsearch clusters, potentially leading to data breaches, system disruption, and compliance violations.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to Logstash version 5.0.1 or later to remediate this vulnerability and ensure proper credential sanitization during connection management operations. Additional mitigations include implementing strict log file access controls, regular log file auditing, and establishing proper credential rotation procedures. Security teams should also configure log management systems to filter out authentication information and implement monitoring for unauthorized log file access attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and credential handling in distributed systems, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1562.006 for credential access through log file manipulation and T1078 for valid accounts usage. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their logging infrastructure to identify and remediate similar credential exposure issues across their technology stack.