CVE-2017-15718 in Hadoop
Summary
by MITRE
The YARN NodeManager in Apache Hadoop 2.7.3 and 2.7.4 can leak the password for credential store provider used by the NodeManager to YARN Applications.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15718 represents a critical security flaw in Apache Hadoop's YARN NodeManager component affecting versions 2.7.3 and 2.7.4. This issue stems from improper handling of credential store provider passwords within the YARN architecture, creating a significant exposure risk for distributed computing environments that rely on Hadoop for big data processing. The flaw manifests when the NodeManager processes credential store configurations, inadvertently exposing sensitive authentication credentials to applications running within the YARN framework.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the NodeManager's credential handling mechanism where password information for credential store providers gets transmitted or stored in an insecure manner. When applications request access to the credential store, the NodeManager fails to properly sanitize or restrict access to the password information, allowing unauthorized applications to potentially access or extract these credentials. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the credential management architecture. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor, and specifically relates to CWE-522, which covers insufficiently protected credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential leakage, as it fundamentally undermines the security posture of Hadoop clusters. Attackers who can exploit this vulnerability gain access to credential store passwords that may be used to authenticate to external systems, databases, or services that rely on the same authentication mechanisms. This creates a potential attack surface where a single compromised NodeManager can provide access to multiple systems within the enterprise infrastructure. The implications are particularly severe in environments where Hadoop clusters manage sensitive data processing workloads, as the leaked credentials could enable lateral movement attacks and privilege escalation. Organizations using this vulnerable version of Hadoop may experience unauthorized access to critical data assets, potentially leading to data breaches, compliance violations, and significant operational disruption.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-15718 require immediate action to upgrade affected Hadoop installations to patched versions or apply appropriate workarounds. The most effective solution involves upgrading to Apache Hadoop versions that contain the necessary security patches addressing this credential exposure issue. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit the scope of potential exploitation, ensuring that applications running on the NodeManager have minimal required privileges. Additionally, monitoring systems should be enhanced to detect unusual credential access patterns or unauthorized application behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper credential management within distributed systems and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1555, which covers credential harvesting through various means including access to credential stores and keyrings. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of their Hadoop deployments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities, implementing robust monitoring and incident response procedures to detect potential exploitation attempts.