CVE-2017-15610 in Octopus
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Octopus before 3.17.7. When the special Guest user account is granted the CertificateExportPrivateKey permission, and Guest Access is enabled for the Octopus Server, an attacker can sign in as the Guest account and export Certificates managed by Octopus, including the private key.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/04/2023
This vulnerability exists in Octopus Deploy versions prior to 3.17.7, representing a critical authorization flaw that undermines the security of certificate management within the platform. The issue stems from improper access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized users to exploit the Guest account's permissions when specific configuration settings are enabled. The vulnerability specifically targets the certificate export functionality, creating a pathway for attackers to obtain sensitive cryptographic material that should remain protected.
The technical flaw manifests through a privilege escalation vector that leverages the Guest user account's CertificateExportPrivateKey permission. When both Guest Access is enabled and the Guest user possesses this specific permission, attackers can authenticate as the Guest account and subsequently export certificates managed by Octopus, including their associated private keys. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a significant gap in the platform's access control implementation. The vulnerability falls under CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.001 for credentials from password databases, as it allows unauthorized extraction of cryptographic credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it enables attackers to gain access to sensitive certificate materials that could be used for various malicious activities including man-in-the-middle attacks, impersonation of legitimate services, and unauthorized access to protected systems. Certificate private keys are fundamental to secure communications and authentication processes, making their compromise particularly dangerous. Attackers could potentially use these exported keys to decrypt communications, forge digital signatures, or gain access to systems that rely on the compromised certificates for authentication. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on Octopus Deploy for infrastructure automation and certificate management, potentially exposing their entire deployment pipeline to compromise.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate remediation through upgrading to Octopus Deploy version 3.17.7 or later, which addresses this specific authorization flaw. Organizations should also implement strict access control policies ensuring that the Guest user account does not possess unnecessary permissions, particularly those related to certificate management. Configuration reviews should verify that Guest Access is only enabled when absolutely necessary and that appropriate least privilege principles are enforced. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive audits of certificate permissions and implement monitoring for unauthorized certificate access attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing additional layers of protection such as certificate pinning, enhanced logging, and regular security assessments of their deployment automation platforms to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.