CVE-2017-2293 in Puppet Enterprise
Summary
by MITRE
Versions of Puppet Enterprise prior to 2016.4.5 or 2017.2.1 shipped with an MCollective configuration that allowed the package plugin to install or remove arbitrary packages on all managed agents. This release adds default configuration to not allow these actions. Customers who rely on this functionality can change this policy.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/31/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-2293 affects Puppet Enterprise installations prior to version 2016.4.5 or 2017.2.1, representing a critical authorization flaw that undermines the security posture of managed infrastructure. This issue stems from an insecure default configuration within the MCollective component that was shipped with these Puppet versions, creating a privilege escalation vector that could be exploited by unauthorized actors. The flaw specifically relates to the package plugin functionality within the MCollective framework, which operates as a distributed messaging system that enables administrators to execute commands across multiple managed nodes. When properly configured, MCollective allows for remote execution of administrative tasks, but in this case, the default settings permitted excessive privileges that were not properly constrained.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the default MCollective configuration files that were distributed with affected Puppet Enterprise versions. The package plugin within MCollective was configured with insufficient access controls, allowing any authenticated user with access to the MCollective interface to execute package management commands such as installing or removing software packages on all managed agents. This represents a violation of the principle of least privilege as defined in cybersecurity best practices and aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper privilege management in software systems. The flaw essentially provided a backdoor mechanism that could be leveraged to gain unauthorized control over package management operations across the entire Puppet-managed infrastructure, potentially enabling attackers to install malicious software or remove critical system components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it creates a pathway for attackers to compromise the integrity and availability of managed systems. An attacker who gains access to the MCollective interface could potentially install malware packages, remove essential system components, or manipulate software dependencies across all managed nodes. This capability directly violates the security principles of separation of duties and least privilege, as the default configuration allowed for broad administrative capabilities that were not intended for typical operational use. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely heavily on Puppet Enterprise for configuration management, potentially exposing their entire infrastructure to compromise through a single point of failure in the default configuration.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement remediation measures to address the insecure default settings. The recommended approach involves updating to Puppet Enterprise versions 2016.4.5 or 2017.2.1, which include the corrected default configuration that restricts package plugin functionality. For organizations that cannot immediately upgrade, manual configuration changes are necessary to disable or restrict the package plugin capabilities within MCollective. This remediation effort should align with the MITRE ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the mitigation of insecure default configurations that can be exploited for unauthorized system access. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive audits of their MCollective configurations to ensure that no other insecure default settings exist within their Puppet Enterprise deployments, as this vulnerability highlights the importance of proper configuration management and the potential risks associated with overly permissive default settings in enterprise security tools.