CVE-2017-5652 in Impala
Summary
by MITRE
During a routine security analysis, it was found that one of the ports in Apache Impala (incubating) 2.7.0 to 2.8.0 sent data in plaintext even when the cluster was configured to use TLS. The port in question was used by the StatestoreSubscriber class which did not use the appropriate secure Thrift transport when TLS was turned on. It was therefore possible for an adversary, with access to the network, to eavesdrop on the packets going to and coming from that port and view the data in plaintext.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/24/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5652 represents a critical security flaw in Apache Impala versions 2.7.0 through 2.8.0 where plaintext data transmission occurred despite TLS configuration. This issue specifically affected the StatestoreSubscriber class which handled communication between impalad processes and the statestore service. The flaw arose from improper implementation of secure transport mechanisms within the Thrift framework, creating a scenario where sensitive data could be intercepted during network transmission.
The technical root cause stems from CWE-319, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information through improper use of cryptographic protocols. The StatestoreSubscriber class failed to utilize the appropriate secure Thrift transport layer when TLS was enabled, resulting in a downgrade to plaintext communication on the affected port. This misconfiguration allowed adversaries with network access to perform man-in-the-middle attacks and capture unencrypted data streams containing potentially sensitive operational information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it compromises the integrity of the entire Impala cluster communication infrastructure. Attackers could intercept metadata, query results, and other operational data transmitted between cluster components, potentially leading to information disclosure and system compromise. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where Impala clusters are deployed in shared network environments or when network segmentation is inadequate, amplifying the risk of successful exploitation.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching of affected versions to 2.8.1 or later where the secure transport implementation was corrected. Organizations should also implement network-level controls such as firewall rules to restrict access to the vulnerable port, and consider deploying additional network monitoring to detect anomalous traffic patterns. The remediation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1041, which addresses data compression and encryption bypass methods, and reinforces the principle of least privilege in network communications. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their Apache Impala deployments to identify any other potential misconfigurations that could expose similar vulnerabilities in their data processing infrastructure.