CVE-2017-15139 in openstack-cinder
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability was found in openstack-cinder releases up to and including Queens, allowing newly created volumes in certain storage volume configurations to contain previous data. It specifically affects ScaleIO volumes using thin volumes and zero padding. This could lead to leakage of sensitive information between tenants.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/04/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15139 represents a critical data leakage issue within OpenStack Cinder storage services that impacts deployments using ScaleIO backend storage systems. This flaw specifically manifests in environments where thin provisioning is enabled alongside zero padding mechanisms, creating a scenario where newly allocated storage volumes may retain remnants of data from previously used volumes. The vulnerability exists in OpenStack Cinder versions up to and including the Queens release, indicating a widespread exposure across multiple deployment scenarios that utilize ScaleIO storage arrays with thin volume configurations.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper data sanitization during volume creation processes within the Cinder storage orchestration layer. When ScaleIO volumes are configured with thin provisioning and zero padding enabled, the system fails to completely overwrite or securely erase previous data patterns from the underlying storage media before making new volumes available to tenants. This occurs because the volume provisioning logic does not adequately implement secure deletion mechanisms that would ensure complete data isolation between tenant volumes. The flaw is particularly concerning because it operates at the storage layer where multiple tenants may share the same physical storage infrastructure, creating potential cross-tenant data leakage scenarios.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-15139 extends beyond simple data leakage to encompass significant security implications for multi-tenant cloud environments. Attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability to recover sensitive information from previously used volumes, including customer data, application secrets, cryptographic keys, or system configuration details. The vulnerability directly violates fundamental security principles of data isolation and tenant separation that are essential for cloud computing environments. From an attacker perspective, this represents a persistent information disclosure threat that could be leveraged for further attacks, including credential harvesting, privilege escalation, or targeted data exfiltration. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-312 (Sensitive Data Exposure) classifications, demonstrating how improper data handling can create persistent security weaknesses.
This vulnerability also maps to several ATT&CK tactics including TA0006 (Credential Access) and TA0005 (Defense Evasion) as it enables attackers to obtain sensitive information that could be used for privilege escalation or to bypass security controls. The persistent nature of data remnants on storage media means that even after volumes are deleted or reassigned, the sensitive information may remain accessible through specialized forensic techniques or by exploiting the same vulnerability. Organizations using OpenStack Cinder with ScaleIO backend storage configurations face significant risk of data breaches, compliance violations, and potential regulatory penalties. The vulnerability particularly affects cloud service providers who host multiple tenants on shared infrastructure, as it undermines the fundamental security guarantee of tenant isolation that cloud customers expect and rely upon.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-15139 require immediate attention through software updates and configuration changes. The primary solution involves upgrading to OpenStack Cinder versions that address this vulnerability, specifically those beyond the Queens release where the fix has been implemented. Organizations should also implement additional security controls including mandatory data sanitization procedures, enhanced volume provisioning policies, and regular security audits of storage configurations. System administrators must ensure that ScaleIO storage arrays are properly configured to enforce secure deletion practices and that zero padding mechanisms are appropriately managed. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure data handling practices in cloud storage environments and demonstrates how seemingly minor configuration issues can create significant security risks. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation, access controls, and monitoring solutions to detect and prevent exploitation attempts, while maintaining detailed audit logs of storage provisioning activities to identify potential data leakage incidents.