CVE-2017-15609 in Octopus
Summary
by MITRE
Octopus before 3.17.7 allows attackers to obtain sensitive cleartext information by reading a variable JSON file in certain situations involving Offline Drop Targets.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/04/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15609 affects Octopus Deploy versions prior to 3.17.7, specifically targeting the handling of sensitive information within Offline Drop Targets. This issue represents a critical security flaw that could potentially expose confidential data to unauthorized parties. The vulnerability manifests when attackers can read variable JSON files that contain cleartext sensitive information, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on this deployment automation platform. The flaw occurs in scenarios where Offline Drop Targets are utilized, which are typically used for environments where direct connectivity to the Octopus server is not possible or desired.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of variable data within the Offline Drop Target functionality. When Octopus Deploy processes deployment tasks for offline environments, it generates variable JSON files that contain sensitive information such as passwords, API keys, and other credentials. These files are stored in a location where unauthorized users or attackers with access to the system can read them directly. The vulnerability exists because the system does not adequately protect these files or ensure proper access controls are in place. This weakness allows attackers to bypass normal authentication and authorization mechanisms that would typically prevent access to sensitive configuration data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it fundamentally undermines the security posture of organizations using Octopus Deploy for their deployment processes. Attackers who exploit this vulnerability can gain access to credentials and sensitive configuration data that could enable further attacks within the infrastructure. The cleartext nature of the exposed information means that no additional cryptographic barriers exist to protect the data, making it immediately usable by threat actors. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where deployment automation systems contain credentials for multiple environments, databases, and cloud services. The exposure could lead to unauthorized access to production systems, data breaches, and compromise of entire deployment pipelines.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to Octopus Deploy version 3.17.7 or later to address this vulnerability, as this release includes proper protections for variable JSON files within Offline Drop Targets. System administrators should also conduct thorough audits of their deployment environments to identify any potentially compromised systems or exposed files. Additional mitigations include implementing strict access controls on directories containing variable files, ensuring proper file permissions are enforced, and regularly monitoring system access logs for unauthorized file access attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and represents a clear violation of security best practices for credential management. From an attack perspective, this issue could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1552.001 (Credentials In Files) as it involves the extraction of sensitive information from files within the system. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as encryption of sensitive data at rest, regular security assessments, and proper incident response procedures to address potential exploitation of this vulnerability.