CVE-2018-11086 in Application Service
Summary
by MITRE
Pivotal Usage Service in Pivotal Application Service, versions 2.0 prior to 2.0.21 and 2.1 prior to 2.1.13 and 2.2 prior to 2.2.5, contains a bug which may allow escalation of privileges. A space developer with access to the system org may be able to access an artifact which contains the CF admin credential, allowing them to escalate to an admin role.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/24/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-11086 affects Pivotal Usage Service within Pivotal Application Service platforms, specifically targeting versions prior to critical security patches released in 2.0.21, 2.1.13, and 2.2.5. This issue represents a significant privilege escalation flaw that undermines the security model of cloud foundry environments. The vulnerability stems from improper access controls within the usage service component, creating a path for malicious actors to gain elevated privileges beyond their intended permissions. The affected system operates under the assumption that space developers should only have limited access to specific organizational resources, yet this flaw allows unauthorized access to administrative credentials stored within system artifacts.
The technical flaw manifests through inadequate authorization checks within the Pivotal Usage Service, where space developers who possess legitimate access to the system org can exploit a weakness in the credential management system. This vulnerability specifically targets the storage and retrieval mechanisms of Cloud Foundry admin credentials, which are inadvertently exposed through artifact access controls. The flaw allows an attacker with space developer privileges to access artifacts containing administrative credentials, effectively bypassing the normal security boundaries that should separate developer roles from administrative privileges. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a critical failure in role-based access control implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, creating potential for widespread system compromise within Pivotal Application Service environments. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can assume full administrative control over Cloud Foundry platforms, enabling them to modify system configurations, access all user data, deploy malicious applications, and potentially exfiltrate sensitive information. The implications are particularly severe given that space developers typically have access to multiple applications and may possess credentials for various system components. This vulnerability can lead to complete system takeover, data breaches, and service disruption, affecting organizations that rely on Pivotal Application Service for their cloud infrastructure needs.
Organizations should implement immediate remediation measures by upgrading to the patched versions 2.0.21, 2.1.13, and 2.2.5, which address the credential exposure issue through enhanced access controls and proper privilege segregation. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of existing space developer permissions and implement additional monitoring for unauthorized artifact access attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and represents a clear violation of the ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and privilege escalation. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation, enhanced logging, and regular security assessments to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of their cloud infrastructure stack.