CVE-2019-15698 in Octopus Deploy
Summary
by MITRE
In Octopus Deploy 2019.7.3 through 2019.7.9, in certain circumstances, an authenticated user with VariableView permissions could view sensitive values. This is fixed in 2019.7.10.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-15698 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within Octopus Deploy versions 2019.7.3 through 2019.7.9. This issue affects the platform's access control mechanisms and demonstrates a failure in proper privilege enforcement. The vulnerability specifically targets authenticated users who possess VariableView permissions, which should typically grant read-only access to deployment variables but inadvertently allows these users to access sensitive values that should remain protected. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a flaw in the application's authorization model. The vulnerability exists in the variable handling logic where proper access controls fail to prevent unauthorized viewing of sensitive data. The issue is particularly concerning because it allows users with relatively limited permissions to escalate their access to view confidential information that may include passwords, API keys, or other sensitive deployment credentials.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper validation of user permissions when accessing variable values within the Octopus Deploy platform. When an authenticated user with VariableView permissions attempts to access certain variables, the system fails to properly verify whether the user should have access to the specific sensitive values contained within those variables. This flaw likely occurs during the variable resolution process where the system retrieves and displays variable values without adequately checking the user's full permission set against the sensitive nature of the data. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, specifically focusing on inadequate permissions enforcement. This weakness allows for unauthorized information disclosure through privilege escalation within a legitimate user session.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure as it creates potential pathways for credential theft and unauthorized access to deployment environments. An attacker with VariableView permissions could potentially access sensitive deployment credentials, database connection strings, or API tokens that are stored as variables within the Octopus Deploy system. This access could enable further exploitation including unauthorized deployment modifications, system compromise, or data exfiltration. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on Octopus Deploy for continuous integration and deployment processes, where deployment variables often contain critical system credentials. The risk is particularly elevated in environments where the principle of least privilege is not properly enforced or where users with VariableView permissions have access to production deployment variables. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1552.001 - Unsecured Credentials, as it allows unauthorized access to stored credentials through improper access control mechanisms.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately upgrade to version 2019.7.10 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the access control flaw. The mitigation strategy should also include reviewing and validating existing user permissions to ensure that VariableView permissions are appropriately restricted and that sensitive variables are not accessible to users who should not have access to their values. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of deployment variable configurations to identify and remediate any variables that may contain sensitive information and should implement additional monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to variable values. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing role-based access control policies that further restrict access to sensitive deployment information and should regularly review access control configurations to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other components of their deployment infrastructure. The fix implemented in version 2019.7.10 addresses the root cause by strengthening the permission validation process during variable access and ensuring that sensitive values are properly protected even when users have VariableView permissions.