CVE-2020-1964 in Heron
Summary
by MITRE
It was noticed that Apache Heron 0.20.2-incubating, Release 0.20.1-incubating, and Release v-0.20.0-incubating does not configure its YAML parser to prevent the instantiation of arbitrary types, resulting in a remote code execution vulnerabilities (CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/31/2024
Apache Heron versions 0.20.0 through 0.20.2-incubating contain a critical deserialization vulnerability that stems from insufficient configuration of the YAML parser component. This flaw falls under CWE-502, which specifically addresses the deserialization of untrusted data, making it particularly dangerous in distributed streaming platforms where security is paramount. The vulnerability exists because the YAML parser is not properly configured to restrict the instantiation of arbitrary Java classes during deserialization processes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows remote attackers to craft malicious YAML payloads that, when processed by the affected Heron components, can trigger the instantiation of arbitrary Java objects. This occurs because the YAML parser accepts and processes type information embedded within the serialized data without proper validation or restriction. When Heron processes configuration files or data streams containing such maliciously crafted YAML content, the parser inadvertently executes code from the specified classes, providing attackers with remote code execution capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe for organizations running affected Apache Heron deployments. Attackers can leverage this weakness to execute arbitrary commands on the affected systems, potentially gaining full control over the streaming platform. This risk extends beyond simple code execution to include data exfiltration, system compromise, and disruption of streaming operations. The vulnerability affects the entire Heron ecosystem including the topology management components, scheduler, and state management systems where YAML parsing occurs during configuration processing.
Security practitioners should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of Apache Heron, configuring the YAML parser to disable arbitrary type instantiation, and implementing network segmentation controls. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.007 for Unix shell and T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers would leverage the remote execution capabilities to deploy additional malicious payloads. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime monitoring and anomaly detection to identify potential exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability can be leveraged for privilege escalation and lateral movement within affected networks.