CVE-2017-17836 in Airflow
Summary
by MITRE
In Apache Airflow 1.8.2 and earlier, an experimental Airflow feature displayed authenticated cookies, as well as passwords to databases used by Airflow. An attacker who has limited access to airflow, weather it be via XSS or by leaving a machine unlocked can exfil all credentials from the system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/05/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-17836 represents a critical security flaw in Apache Airflow versions 1.8.2 and earlier, where an experimental feature inadvertently exposed sensitive authentication cookies and database passwords. This issue stems from improper handling of credential storage and display mechanisms within the airflow web interface, creating a significant attack surface for unauthorized access. The vulnerability specifically affects systems where users have limited access to airflow through cross-site scripting attacks or by exploiting unlocked machines, making it particularly dangerous in environments where physical or network security controls may be insufficient.
The technical implementation flaw occurs within the experimental airflow feature that was designed to provide enhanced monitoring capabilities but instead created a mechanism for credential leakage. When authenticated users interact with the affected airflow components, the system displays not only session cookies but also database connection passwords in plain text format, effectively providing attackers with comprehensive access credentials for the underlying database systems. This exposure violates fundamental security principles of credential management and demonstrates a lack of proper input sanitization and output encoding within the web application framework. The vulnerability is classified as a CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1552.001 (Credentials In Files) and T1552.006 (Credentials in Registry), as it exposes sensitive information through web interface elements.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-17836 is severe and far-reaching, as it allows attackers to gain complete access to database systems that airflow uses for workflow management and metadata storage. This exposure enables unauthorized users to perform data exfiltration, modify workflow configurations, and potentially escalate privileges within the broader system infrastructure. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only limited access to the airflow environment, making it particularly dangerous in shared or multi-tenant deployments where attackers might gain access through social engineering, phishing, or by exploiting other vulnerabilities in the broader system. Organizations using affected airflow versions face significant risk of data breaches, compliance violations, and potential system compromise that could affect multiple applications and services relying on the compromised database infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-17836 require immediate action to upgrade affected airflow installations to versions 1.9.0 or later, where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper credential handling and display mechanisms. System administrators should implement additional security controls including network segmentation, access controls, and monitoring of web application traffic to detect potential exploitation attempts. The recommended remediation includes disabling the experimental feature until proper security measures are implemented, implementing strong input validation and output encoding, and establishing comprehensive credential management practices. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of their airflow deployments and monitor for any signs of unauthorized access or credential compromise. The mitigation approach aligns with NIST SP 800-53 security controls and follows the principle of least privilege to minimize potential impact from similar vulnerabilities in the future.