CVE-2016-7077 in Foreman
Summary
by MITRE
foreman before 1.14.0 is vulnerable to an information leak. It was found that Foreman form helper does not authorize options for associated objects. Unauthorized user can see names of such objects if their count is less than 6.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/08/2023
The vulnerability described in CVE-2016-7077 affects Foreman versions prior to 1.14.0 and represents a significant information disclosure issue that undermines the application's authorization controls. This flaw exists within Foreman's form helper functionality where the system fails to properly validate and restrict access to associated objects when rendering form options. The vulnerability manifests when unauthorized users can observe the names of associated objects through form interfaces, creating a potential reconnaissance opportunity for attackers seeking to understand the system's structure and relationships between different entities.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient authorization checks within the form rendering process. When Foreman generates form options for associated objects, it does not properly verify whether the current user has appropriate permissions to view the names of these objects. This authorization bypass occurs specifically when the count of associated objects remains below six, suggesting that the system implements a threshold-based approach that inadvertently exposes information when the object count is limited. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure through improper access control, and represents a classic case of insufficient authorization checking in user interface components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with valuable intelligence about the system's internal structure and relationships. An unauthorized user who can access form options may gain insights into the organization's infrastructure, including host names, service names, or other associated entities that should remain protected. This information can be leveraged to plan more sophisticated attacks, identify potential targets, or understand the scope of the system's dependencies. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where Foreman serves as a configuration management or provisioning tool, as the exposed object names may reveal sensitive operational details about the managed infrastructure.
From a security perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of implementing proper authorization controls at all layers of an application, including user interface components where users interact with system data. The issue highlights the need for comprehensive access control validation not just at the API or backend level, but also within front-end rendering logic. Organizations using Foreman should prioritize updating to version 1.14.0 or later where this authorization flaw has been addressed. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and access control checks for form helper components can prevent similar issues from occurring in other applications. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which involves the use of legitimate credentials to gain access to resources, as unauthorized users can exploit this flaw to access information they should not be authorized to see.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of the Foreman application to the recommended version, followed by comprehensive security testing to ensure no other similar authorization bypasses exist within the system. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring and logging around form rendering activities to detect potential exploitation attempts. The fix typically involves strengthening authorization checks within the form helper logic to ensure that users cannot access associated object names unless they have proper permissions, thereby preventing the information leak while maintaining the application's functionality for authorized users.