CVE-2019-12124 in APPC
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in ONAP APPC before Dublin. By using an exposed unprotected Jolokia interface, an unauthenticated attacker can read or overwrite an arbitrary file. All APPC setups are affected.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-12124 represents a critical security flaw in the ONAP APPC (Open Network Automation Platform Application Controller) software prior to the Dublin release. This issue stems from the exposure of an unprotected Jolokia interface, which serves as a Java Management Extensions JMX gateway for monitoring and managing applications. The Jolokia interface, when improperly configured or left accessible without authentication, creates a significant attack surface that allows malicious actors to exploit the system's management capabilities. The vulnerability affects all APPC deployments that have not been updated to address this specific security gap, making it particularly concerning for organizations relying on ONAP for network automation and orchestration.
The technical flaw manifests through the improper configuration of the Jolokia REST endpoint, which is designed to provide read and write access to JMX MBeans for monitoring purposes. When this interface remains exposed without proper authentication mechanisms, it enables attackers to perform arbitrary file operations on the underlying system. An unauthenticated attacker can leverage this vulnerability to read sensitive configuration files, system information, or other valuable data stored on the server. Additionally, the attacker can overwrite arbitrary files, potentially leading to complete system compromise through file injection attacks, privilege escalation, or disruption of critical network operations. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and CWE-73 (External Control of File Name or Path), as it involves unauthorized access to system resources and the manipulation of file paths through external interfaces.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-12124 extends beyond simple data exposure, as it provides attackers with the capability to fundamentally alter the operational state of network automation systems. Organizations utilizing ONAP APPC for critical infrastructure management face potential disruption of automated network services, unauthorized modification of configuration files that could affect network behavior, and possible complete system compromise. The vulnerability's exploitation does not require specialized tools or deep technical knowledge, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by attackers with minimal expertise. This weakness in the security posture of ONAP deployments could enable attackers to gain persistent access to network infrastructure, potentially affecting service availability, data integrity, and overall network security. The attack vector aligns with ATT&CK techniques for privilege escalation and persistence through file system manipulation, as described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations to address this vulnerability by securing the Jolokia interface through proper authentication mechanisms, network segmentation, and access controls. The recommended approach includes configuring authentication for the Jolokia endpoint, implementing network firewalls to restrict access to the interface, and ensuring that the interface is not exposed to untrusted networks. Additionally, organizations should review their entire ONAP deployment for similar unauthenticated interfaces and ensure that all management endpoints are properly secured. The fix involves updating to the Dublin release of APPC or applying the appropriate security patches that address the unprotected Jolokia interface vulnerability. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized access attempts to management interfaces, and regular security assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar configuration weaknesses across the network automation infrastructure.