CVE-2017-7399 in Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Cloudera Manager 5.8.x before 5.8.5, 5.9.x before 5.9.2, and 5.10.x before 5.10.1 allows a read-only Cloudera Manager user to discover the usernames of other users and elevate the privileges of those users.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/27/2019
CVE-2017-7399 represents a critical privilege escalation vulnerability within Cloudera Manager software versions prior to specific patch releases. This vulnerability stems from inadequate access control mechanisms that permit read-only users to enumerate user accounts and subsequently exploit the system to gain elevated privileges. The flaw exists in the authentication and authorization framework of Cloudera Manager, specifically within its user management and session handling components. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can bypass intended security boundaries and escalate their access rights to administrative levels, creating significant risks for data integrity and system security.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper validation of user permissions during authentication processes. When read-only users attempt to access certain administrative endpoints or perform specific operations, the system fails to properly verify their authorization levels. This weakness allows unauthorized access to user enumeration functions that should be restricted to administrators only. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-284 which addresses improper access control, specifically focusing on insufficient access control mechanisms. The flaw demonstrates a classic privilege escalation pattern where a user with minimal permissions can discover and manipulate other user accounts to achieve higher privileges.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations relying on Cloudera Manager for their big data infrastructure management. The ability to discover usernames provides attackers with valuable reconnaissance information that can be used in targeted attacks against specific user accounts. The privilege escalation capability means that even low-privilege users can potentially gain full administrative control over the Cloudera Manager instance, compromising the entire Hadoop ecosystem they manage. This vulnerability directly impacts the CIA triad by weakening confidentiality through user enumeration, integrity through unauthorized privilege escalation, and availability through potential system compromise.
Organizations should immediately implement the vendor-provided patches for Cloudera Manager versions 5.8.5, 5.9.2, and 5.10.1 to remediate this vulnerability. The recommended mitigation strategy includes upgrading to the patched versions and implementing additional security controls such as network segmentation and monitoring of authentication events. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive audits of user permissions and access controls to identify any potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through legitimate credentials. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing role-based access control policies and regular security assessments to prevent similar vulnerabilities in other components of their big data infrastructure.