CVE-2020-29581 in spiped Docker Image
Summary
by MITRE • 12/09/2020
The official spiped docker images before 1.5-alpine contain a blank password for a root user. Systems using the spiped docker container deployed by affected versions of the docker image may allow an remote attacker to achieve root access with a blank password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/14/2020
The vulnerability described in CVE-2020-29581 represents a critical security flaw in the official spiped docker images prior to version 1.5-alpine. This issue stems from the improper configuration of the docker container where the root user account is created with an empty or blank password, creating an inherent authentication weakness that directly compromises system integrity. The spiped service is designed for secure network communication and tunneling, but this configuration error transforms what should be a secure container into a potential entry point for remote attackers seeking privileged access.
The technical flaw manifests as a default credential vulnerability where the docker image construction process fails to properly secure the root account by setting a strong password or disabling password authentication entirely. This blank password condition creates an authentication bypass opportunity that allows any remote attacker who can establish network connectivity to the container to immediately escalate privileges to root level access. The vulnerability exists at the container image level rather than being a runtime issue, making it particularly dangerous as it affects all deployments using the vulnerable versions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching, as it provides remote attackers with unrestricted root access to systems running affected spiped containers. This level of privilege allows attackers to execute arbitrary code, modify system files, access all data within the container, and potentially use the compromised container as a pivot point to attack other systems within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects any deployment that relies on the official spiped docker images, including cloud environments, container orchestration platforms, and on-premises deployments where these containers are used for secure communications.
Security practitioners should immediately update to spiped docker images version 1.5-alpine or later to address this vulnerability, as no workarounds exist for the blank password configuration. The remediation process involves replacing the affected container images with properly configured versions that either disable root password authentication or implement strong password policies. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive audits of their container deployments to identify any other instances of the vulnerable image versions and ensure that proper container image governance policies are in place to prevent similar issues. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-798, which addresses the use of hardcoded credentials, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege that should be maintained in all containerized environments.
The attack surface for this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution, as attackers can leverage the root access to establish persistent backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive data, and manipulate system configurations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and credential access capabilities, potentially enabling attackers to move laterally within networks and maintain long-term access to compromised systems. The incident underscores the critical importance of proper container image security practices and the need for regular security assessments of containerized applications to prevent such fundamental authentication flaws from being deployed in production environments.