CVE-2016-2102 in openstack-tripleo-image-elements
Summary
by MITRE
HAProxy statistics in openstack-tripleo-image-elements are non-authenticated over the network.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/09/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-2102 pertains to a critical security flaw in the HAProxy statistics interface within OpenStack TripleO image elements. This issue arises from the improper configuration of HAProxy's administrative interface, which exposes sensitive operational data without requiring any form of authentication. The vulnerability specifically affects deployments using OpenStack TripleO (TripleO is OpenStack's orchestration project that automates the deployment and management of OpenStack environments) where HAProxy is utilized for load balancing and traffic management. The statistics interface in HAProxy is designed to provide administrators with detailed insights into service performance, connection counts, and operational metrics, but when improperly configured, it becomes accessible to any network entity that can reach the designated port.
The technical flaw stems from the default configuration of HAProxy within the TripleO image elements where the statistics endpoint is exposed on a network port without any authentication mechanisms. This misconfiguration allows attackers to access sensitive operational data including backend server information, connection statistics, health check results, and potentially other administrative functions that should remain restricted to authorized personnel. The vulnerability is classified as a weakness in authentication and authorization controls, aligning with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues. When an attacker gains access to this unauthenticated statistics interface, they can obtain comprehensive information about the load balancing infrastructure, including server names, IP addresses, port configurations, and performance metrics that could be leveraged for further attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for OpenStack deployments using TripleO orchestration. Attackers can exploit this weakness to gather intelligence about the target environment, identify potential attack vectors, and map out the internal network structure. The exposure of HAProxy statistics provides adversaries with detailed information about service availability, connection patterns, and system health that could be used to plan more sophisticated attacks. This vulnerability particularly affects cloud environments where security through obscurity is not sufficient, as the statistics interface becomes a readily accessible entry point for reconnaissance activities. The risk is compounded in multi-tenant environments where unauthorized access to statistics could reveal information about other tenants' services and infrastructure.
Organizations utilizing OpenStack TripleO deployments should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability. The primary solution involves configuring HAProxy to require authentication for access to the statistics interface, typically through the use of HTTP basic authentication or more robust authentication mechanisms. The recommended approach includes setting up proper access controls by configuring the stats URI with authentication parameters such as the 'stats auth' directive in HAProxy configuration files. Additionally, network segmentation should be implemented to ensure that the statistics interface is not exposed to untrusted networks, and access should be restricted through firewall rules to allow connections only from authorized management systems. Security best practices dictate that administrative interfaces should never be exposed without proper authentication, aligning with the principle of least privilege as outlined in various cybersecurity frameworks including NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 standards. The vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1046 which involves network service scanning and reconnaissance activities, making it a critical target for defensive security measures.