CVE-2018-1314 in Hive
Summary
by MITRE
In Apache Hive 2.3.3, 3.1.0 and earlier, Hive "EXPLAIN" operation does not check for necessary authorization of involved entities in a query. An unauthorized user can do "EXPLAIN" on arbitrary table or view and expose table metadata and statistics.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/11/2020
The vulnerability described in CVE-2018-1314 affects Apache Hive versions 2.3.3, 3.1.0, and earlier, representing a significant authorization bypass flaw that undermines the security model of the data warehouse system. This issue specifically targets the EXPLAIN operation within Hive, which is designed to provide query execution plans and metadata information without actually executing the query. The flaw occurs because the system fails to validate whether the requesting user has proper authorization rights to access the entities referenced in the query being explained, creating a pathway for unauthorized information disclosure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access control checks during the EXPLAIN operation processing. When a user submits an EXPLAIN statement, Hive should verify that the user possesses the necessary permissions to access all tables, views, and other database objects referenced in the query plan. However, in affected versions, this authorization verification step is bypassed, allowing any authenticated user to obtain detailed metadata about database objects they should not be able to access. This includes table schemas, column definitions, partition information, and statistical data that could reveal sensitive business intelligence or data structures.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can facilitate more sophisticated attacks and reconnaissance activities. An attacker with minimal privileges could map out the entire database schema of a Hive warehouse, identify sensitive data locations, and gather statistics that would aid in planning more targeted attacks. The exposure of table metadata and statistics could reveal business logic patterns, data relationships, and potentially sensitive information about data processing workflows. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can be categorized under CWE-284 Access Control Bypass, which specifically addresses situations where systems fail to properly enforce access controls.
From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1069 Credential Access and T1083 File and Directory Discovery tactics. The ability to perform unauthorized EXPLAIN operations provides attackers with valuable reconnaissance information that can be used to plan further exploitation. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where Hive serves as a central data warehouse for enterprise analytics, as it could expose sensitive business data and infrastructure configurations to unauthorized parties.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to Apache Hive versions that have addressed this vulnerability, typically those released after the patch date for CVE-2018-1314. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and monitoring for unusual EXPLAIN operations can help detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of comprehensive authorization checking across all database operations, not just those that directly manipulate data, as even metadata access can provide significant intelligence to attackers and should be protected according to established security frameworks and compliance requirements.