CVE-2017-7999 in Eucalyptus
Summary
by MITRE
Atlassian Eucalyptus before 4.4.1, when in EDGE mode, allows remote authenticated users with certain privileges to cause a denial of service (E2 service outage) via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/13/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-7999 affects Atlassian Eucalyptus versions prior to 4.4.1, specifically when operating in EDGE mode. This represents a significant security flaw that could potentially disrupt critical infrastructure operations. The issue manifests as a denial of service condition that can result in complete service outages for the E2 service, which is a core component of the Eucalyptus cloud computing platform. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects authenticated users who possess certain privileges, meaning that the threat comes from within the trusted user base rather than external attackers.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves unspecified vectors that allow authenticated users to trigger service disruptions. This type of flaw typically stems from inadequate input validation, improper error handling, or flawed resource management within the EDGE mode implementation. The Eucalyptus platform's EDGE mode is designed to provide edge computing capabilities, but the vulnerability suggests that the implementation contains weaknesses that can be exploited by users with legitimate access privileges. The unspecified vectors indicate that the exact exploitation method is not publicly detailed, which can complicate remediation efforts and security assessments. This vulnerability falls under the category of privilege escalation and denial of service conditions that can severely impact cloud infrastructure availability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the entire cloud computing environment. When the E2 service experiences outages, it can affect multiple virtual machines, applications, and services that depend on the underlying infrastructure. Organizations relying on Eucalyptus for their cloud deployments face significant risks including business interruption, data accessibility issues, and potential financial losses. The vulnerability particularly impacts environments where EDGE mode is actively used, which typically includes distributed computing scenarios where low-latency processing is required. This type of denial of service attack can be particularly damaging in mission-critical applications where continuous availability is essential for business operations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-7999 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to version 4.4.1 or later, which contains the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring to detect unusual activity patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access control measures should be strengthened to limit the privileges of authenticated users who have access to EDGE mode functionality. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which addresses improper handling of resources, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks. Security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the affected software and implement proper configuration management to prevent unauthorized access to EDGE mode features. Additionally, implementing robust logging and alerting mechanisms can help detect potential exploitation attempts before they result in service outages.