CVE-2018-12972 in OpenTSDB
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in OpenTSDB 2.3.0. Many parameters to the /q URI can execute commands, including o, key, style, and yrange and y2range and their JSON input.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/29/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-12972 represents a critical command injection flaw within OpenTSDB version 2.3.0, a widely used distributed time series database system. This issue manifests through the /q URI endpoint which processes query parameters that are intended for visualization and data retrieval purposes. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly handle user-supplied data, allowing attackers to inject malicious commands through various parameters. The affected parameters include o, key, style, and yrange along with their y2range and JSON input variants, which are commonly used in query operations and visualization configurations.
This command injection vulnerability operates at the application layer and falls under the CWE-77 category, specifically representing a command injection weakness where attacker-controlled data is directly incorporated into system commands without proper sanitization. The flaw enables an attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying operating system with the privileges of the OpenTSDB process, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it affects parameters that are routinely used in legitimate query operations, making it difficult to distinguish between normal and malicious input. The attack surface is expanded through JSON input handling, which allows for more complex injection payloads that can bypass simple input filters.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with elevated privileges and unrestricted access to the affected system. An attacker could potentially execute commands such as system reconnaissance, data exfiltration, privilege escalation, or even establish persistent backdoors within the network. The vulnerability affects organizations using OpenTSDB for monitoring and analytics, particularly those with internet-facing systems or insufficient network segmentation. The risk is amplified in environments where OpenTSDB is deployed with elevated privileges or where the system has access to sensitive network resources or databases. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including command and control through remote access, privilege escalation, and defense evasion by potentially installing malicious software or modifying system configurations.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of OpenTSDB, implementing strict input validation and sanitization for all query parameters, and applying network segmentation to limit access to the vulnerable system. The recommended approach involves implementing proper parameter validation that rejects or escapes special characters commonly used in command injection attacks, including semicolons, pipes, and other shell metacharacters. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing web application firewalls to filter suspicious query patterns and monitor for unusual command execution patterns. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and input validation, particularly for applications handling user-supplied data that may be interpreted as executable commands. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the monitoring infrastructure.