CVE-2018-19466 in Portainer
Summary
by MITRE
A vulnerability was found in Portainer before 1.20.0. Portainer stores LDAP credentials, corresponding to a master password, in cleartext and allows their retrieval via API calls.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/17/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-19466 represents a critical security flaw in Portainer versions prior to 1.20.0 that directly impacts authentication and credential management systems. This issue stems from the improper handling of Lightweight Directory Access Protocol credentials within the application's configuration storage mechanisms, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on Portainer for container management and orchestration. The flaw allows unauthorized access to stored credentials through legitimate API endpoints, undermining the fundamental security assumptions of credential protection.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests in Portainer's credential storage architecture where LDAP authentication details are persisted in plaintext format rather than being properly encrypted or hashed. This design decision violates established security best practices and creates a persistent exposure point for attackers who can exploit the API endpoints to retrieve these cleartext credentials. The vulnerability specifically affects the master password functionality that Portainer employs to manage LDAP connections, making it particularly dangerous for environments where multiple users rely on centralized authentication systems. The cleartext storage mechanism directly maps to CWE-312, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information through improper data handling.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates severe consequences for organizations using Portainer in production environments. Once exploited, attackers gain access to LDAP credentials that can be used to authenticate against directory services, potentially enabling lateral movement throughout the network infrastructure. The vulnerability allows for privilege escalation and persistent access to containerized applications and services that rely on LDAP for authentication. This exposure can lead to complete compromise of container orchestration platforms and the underlying infrastructure they manage. The threat landscape for this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1565.001, which covers "Data Manipulation" through credential access and privilege escalation.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to Portainer version 1.20.0 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper credential encryption. The recommended approach involves implementing a comprehensive credential management strategy that includes regular security audits of stored credentials and monitoring for unauthorized API access attempts. Network segmentation and API access controls should be implemented to limit exposure points and reduce the attack surface. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any other applications or systems that may be storing credentials in cleartext format. The remediation process should include credential rotation for any systems where the vulnerability may have been exploited, along with implementation of proper encryption standards for all credential storage mechanisms moving forward.