CVE-2019-3885 in Pacemaker
Summary
by MITRE
A use-after-free flaw was found in pacemaker up to and including version 2.0.1 which could result in certain sensitive information to be leaked via the system logs.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-3885 represents a critical use-after-free flaw within the pacemaker cluster management system, affecting versions up to and including 2.0.1. This flaw resides in the core functionality of pacemaker which manages high availability clusters and ensures service availability across multiple nodes. The issue stems from improper memory management practices where freed memory locations are still being accessed or referenced, creating potential vectors for information disclosure and system instability. The vulnerability specifically impacts the system logging mechanisms, where sensitive information may be inadvertently exposed through improperly handled memory references during log generation processes.
The technical implementation of this use-after-free vulnerability occurs when pacemaker's resource management components handle memory allocation and deallocation for cluster state information and resource configurations. When certain cluster operations complete and trigger memory cleanup processes, the system fails to properly invalidate references to previously freed memory blocks. This creates a scenario where subsequent operations may access these memory locations, potentially exposing stale data that includes sensitive information such as cluster credentials, resource configurations, or operational details. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it operates within the logging subsystem, which typically maintains comprehensive records of cluster activities and system states. According to CWE-416, this vulnerability maps directly to the use-after-free weakness category, where memory is accessed after it has been freed, creating potential information disclosure and system integrity risks.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-3885 extends beyond simple information leakage to potentially compromise entire cluster security postures. When sensitive data is leaked through system logs, attackers can gain insights into cluster topology, resource configurations, authentication mechanisms, and operational patterns that would otherwise remain confidential. This information disclosure can enable more sophisticated attacks targeting cluster resources, potentially leading to privilege escalation or unauthorized access to critical infrastructure components. The vulnerability affects systems that rely on pacemaker for high availability services, making it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where cluster integrity and confidentiality are paramount. Organizations using affected versions of pacemaker face increased risk of targeted attacks that exploit the leaked information to bypass security controls and compromise cluster availability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-3885 require immediate patching of pacemaker installations to versions that address the memory management issues. System administrators should prioritize updating to pacemaker 2.0.2 or later, which includes proper memory handling mechanisms that prevent use-after-free conditions. Additionally, organizations should implement enhanced log monitoring and filtering to detect potential information disclosure patterns in system logs. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that memory management fixes do not introduce regressions in cluster functionality. Security teams should also conduct thorough audits of existing cluster configurations and logs to identify any potential exploitation that may have occurred prior to patching. According to ATT&CK framework category T1070.004 for Indicator Removal on Host, organizations should monitor for any attempts to cover up evidence of information disclosure through log manipulation or deletion activities. Regular security assessments of cluster management systems should be implemented to identify similar memory corruption vulnerabilities that could impact other critical infrastructure components.