CVE-2020-15828 in TeamCity
Summary
by MITRE
In JetBrains TeamCity before 2020.1.1, project parameter values can be retrieved by a user without appropriate permissions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-15828 represents a critical access control flaw in JetBrains TeamCity versions prior to 2020.1.1, where unauthorized users can extract project parameter values that should be restricted to authorized personnel only. This issue stems from insufficient validation mechanisms within the application's permission system, allowing malicious actors or compromised users to bypass normal access controls and obtain sensitive configuration data. The flaw specifically affects the handling of project parameters, which often contain critical information such as database credentials, API keys, deployment configurations, and other sensitive operational details that are typically restricted to administrators or authorized team members.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability manifests as a privilege escalation issue that violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and access control. The flaw enables unauthorized information disclosure through improper authentication checks during parameter retrieval operations, where the system fails to verify whether the requesting user possesses adequate permissions to access specific project parameters. This type of vulnerability is classified under CWE-284 Access Control Bypass, which encompasses weaknesses that allow unauthorized users to access resources or data that should be protected. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because project parameters often contain sensitive operational data that could be leveraged for further attacks or system compromise.
The operational implications of CVE-2020-15828 extend beyond simple information disclosure, as the leaked project parameters could provide attackers with valuable intelligence for targeting other system components. Attackers could potentially use the extracted configuration data to identify database endpoints, service accounts, or deployment credentials that might be reused across different systems or applications. This vulnerability directly impacts the confidentiality and integrity aspects of the CIA triad, as it allows unauthorized access to sensitive project configurations that could lead to system compromise or data breaches. The flaw also represents a significant risk to supply chain security, as compromised TeamCity instances could provide attackers with access to development environments and deployment configurations that might be used to target downstream systems.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of broader attack frameworks such as those described in the MITRE ATT&CK matrix, where information gathering and credential access phases could be facilitated by such flaws. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal privileges and could be automated, making it particularly dangerous in environments where TeamCity serves as a central configuration management system for multiple projects. Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected TeamCity installations to address this access control bypass, while also implementing additional monitoring and logging controls to detect unauthorized parameter access attempts. The remediation process should include comprehensive review of access controls and parameter configurations to ensure that sensitive project data remains properly protected. This vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security assessments and timely patch management for enterprise development platforms, as the impact of such flaws can extend far beyond their apparent scope.