CVE-2018-11084 in Cloud Foundry Garden-runC
Summary
by MITRE
Cloud Foundry Garden-runC release, versions prior to 1.16.1, prevents deletion of some app environments based on file attributes. A remote authenticated malicious user may create and delete apps with crafted file attributes to cause a denial of service for new app instances or scaling up of existing apps.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-11084 affects the Cloud Foundry Garden-runC release versions prior to 1.16.1, representing a critical security flaw in container management infrastructure that impacts the core functionality of application deployment and scaling operations. This issue stems from inadequate file attribute validation within the container runtime environment, specifically within the Garden containerization layer that serves as the foundation for Cloud Foundry's application execution platform. The vulnerability manifests when the system fails to properly handle certain file attributes during application lifecycle operations, creating a persistent state that prevents subsequent app environment deletion. This flaw enables authenticated attackers to manipulate the container filesystem in ways that create denial of service conditions for legitimate application instances. The root cause lies in the improper validation of file metadata during container cleanup operations, which allows crafted file attributes to persist in the system and interfere with normal container lifecycle management.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an authenticated attacker with privileges to create and delete applications within the Cloud Foundry environment, making it particularly concerning for multi-tenant deployments where user isolation is critical. Attackers can leverage this flaw by creating applications with specifically crafted file attributes that, when processed by the vulnerable Garden-runC component, result in corrupted container state information. This corrupted state prevents the proper cleanup of application environments, causing subsequent attempts to delete or recreate application instances to fail. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-225, which deals with insufficient logging of file operations, and CWE-362, addressing concurrent execution issues that can lead to race conditions in resource management. The flaw demonstrates a classic case of inadequate input validation and resource state management in containerized environments, where file metadata handling creates persistent inconsistencies in the container runtime.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-11084 extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass significant business continuity risks for Cloud Foundry deployments. Organizations relying on automated scaling operations or frequent application deployments face potential outages when the system cannot properly manage container cleanup operations, particularly affecting applications that require rapid scaling or high availability. The vulnerability undermines the fundamental containerization principle of isolated, clean application environments, potentially allowing one malicious application to affect the availability of other applications within the same platform. This issue particularly impacts platform administrators who must maintain application availability and performance, as the denial of service can occur during critical scaling operations or when new application instances are required. The flaw affects not only the immediate application lifecycle but also the underlying infrastructure resources, potentially leading to resource exhaustion and increased operational overhead for platform maintenance.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-11084 focus on immediate version upgrades to Garden-runC 1.16.1 or later releases that contain the necessary patches to address the file attribute validation issues. Organizations should implement strict access controls and monitoring of application creation and deletion operations to detect potential exploitation attempts, as this vulnerability requires authenticated access to the platform. The patch addresses the core issue by implementing proper file attribute validation and ensuring that container cleanup operations properly handle all file metadata regardless of its initial state. Security teams should also consider implementing additional monitoring around container lifecycle events and file system operations within the Garden container runtime, as recommended by the ATT&CK framework for container-based threats. Regular vulnerability assessments of container runtime components and implementation of principle of least privilege access controls can help minimize the attack surface and prevent unauthorized users from exploiting this flaw. Organizations should also establish incident response procedures specifically tailored to container runtime vulnerabilities, ensuring rapid response to any exploitation attempts that may impact platform availability and application deployment operations.