CVE-2019-10135 in osbs-client
Summary
by MITRE
A flaw was found in the yaml.load() function in the osbs-client versions since 0.46 before 0.56.1. Insecure use of the yaml.load() function allowed the user to load any suspicious object for code execution via the parsing of malicious YAML files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/24/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-10135 represents a critical security flaw in the osbs-client software ecosystem, specifically affecting versions ranging from 0.46 through 0.56.0. This issue stems from the insecure usage of the yaml.load() function which is a fundamental component in the software build system that processes configuration files and manifests. The flaw allows for arbitrary code execution through the manipulation of YAML parsing operations, creating a significant attack surface that could be exploited by malicious actors to compromise systems running affected versions of the client software.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the yaml.load() function itself, where the software fails to properly sanitize or validate input data before processing. This insecure approach to YAML parsing enables attackers to craft malicious YAML files that contain specially constructed objects which, when loaded, execute unintended code within the context of the running application. The vulnerability specifically targets the deserialization process where YAML content is converted into Python objects, allowing for the execution of arbitrary Python code through the loading of maliciously crafted data structures. This pattern aligns with CWE-502, which describes the weakness of deserializing untrusted data, and represents a classic example of a code injection vulnerability that operates through configuration file manipulation.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-10135 extends beyond simple privilege escalation or denial of service scenarios, as it enables full arbitrary code execution capabilities within the environment where the vulnerable osbs-client is deployed. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain complete control over build processes, potentially compromising the integrity of software supply chains by injecting malicious code into legitimate build workflows. The vulnerability affects systems that rely on osbs-client for container image building and deployment operations, creating risks for organizations that use this software in their continuous integration and continuous deployment pipelines. This represents a significant concern for DevOps environments where build automation and configuration management are critical components of the software development lifecycle.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-10135 should prioritize immediate version upgrades to osbs-client 0.56.1 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the insecure YAML parsing behavior. Organizations should also implement strict input validation and sanitization policies for all YAML configuration files, particularly those that originate from untrusted sources or user inputs. The recommended approach involves replacing yaml.load() with yaml.safe_load() which properly restricts the types of objects that can be constructed during deserialization, thereby preventing the execution of arbitrary code. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts, while maintaining comprehensive monitoring and logging of all YAML file processing activities to detect anomalous behavior patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and secure coding practices in preventing code execution through configuration file parsing operations, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for executing malicious code through interpreted scripting languages.