CVE-2018-1331 in Storm
Summary
by MITRE
In Apache Storm 0.10.0 through 0.10.2, 1.0.0 through 1.0.6, 1.1.0 through 1.1.2, and 1.2.0 through 1.2.1, an attacker with access to a secure storm cluster in some cases could execute arbitrary code as a different user.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2023
Apache Storm is a distributed real-time computation system that processes streaming data with fault tolerance and scalability. The vulnerability CVE-2018-1331 affects multiple versions of this distributed computing framework, creating a critical security flaw that allows attackers with access to a secure cluster to escalate privileges and execute code as different users. This represents a significant compromise in the system's security model where the principle of least privilege is violated. The vulnerability stems from improper user context management during task execution within the Storm cluster, specifically when the system fails to properly validate or enforce user permissions when transitioning between different execution contexts.
The technical flaw manifests in the Storm supervisor process where it does not adequately verify the identity of users when scheduling or executing worker processes. When a user submits a topology to the cluster, the system should maintain strict user boundaries to prevent privilege escalation. However, this vulnerability allows an attacker who has already gained access to the cluster to manipulate the execution environment and potentially execute code with elevated privileges or as different user accounts. This flaw operates at the system level where user permissions are not properly enforced during process creation and execution phases, creating a path for attackers to bypass normal access controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it fundamentally undermines the security model of Apache Storm clusters. Attackers could potentially exploit this to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, modify processing logic, or even take control of the entire cluster. The vulnerability affects all versions from 0.10.0 through 1.2.1, meaning organizations running any of these versions are potentially at risk. The attack vector requires only that an attacker already has access to the cluster, making it particularly dangerous in environments where cluster access is not properly restricted. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which describes improper privilege management, and represents a direct violation of the principle that processes should run with the minimum necessary privileges. The attack pattern follows ATT&CK technique T1059 where adversaries execute code through legitimate system processes, but in this case the code execution occurs through privilege escalation rather than direct injection.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to versions of Apache Storm that have patched this vulnerability, specifically versions 1.2.2 and later. The patch addresses the user context handling by implementing proper user validation and enforcement mechanisms during task execution. System administrators should also review and tighten access controls to Storm clusters, implementing network segmentation and user access restrictions to limit the impact if an attacker gains access. Regular security audits of cluster configurations and monitoring for unusual execution patterns can help detect exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing containerization or virtualization techniques to isolate worker processes and limit the potential impact of privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper privilege management in distributed systems and the need for comprehensive security testing throughout the software development lifecycle.