CVE-2021-0279 in Networks Contrail Cloud
Summary
by MITRE • 07/16/2021
Juniper Networks Contrail Cloud (CC) releases prior to 13.6.0 have RabbitMQ service enabled by default with hardcoded credentials. The messaging services of RabbitMQ are used when coordinating operations and status information among Contrail services. An attacker with access to an administrative service for RabbitMQ (e.g. GUI), can use these hardcoded credentials to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) or have access to unspecified sensitive system information. This issue affects the Juniper Networks Contrail Cloud releases on versions prior to 13.6.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/19/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2021-0279 represents a critical security flaw in Juniper Networks Contrail Cloud platform versions prior to 13.6.0, where the RabbitMQ messaging service operates with hardcoded credentials by default. This configuration creates a fundamental security weakness that directly violates established security principles and best practices for credential management. The RabbitMQ service serves as a critical component for coordinating operations and status information among various Contrail services, making it a central point of potential compromise within the system architecture.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the use of hardcoded authentication credentials within the RabbitMQ service configuration, which is classified as a weakness under CWE-798. This approach eliminates the possibility of dynamic credential rotation and creates a persistent attack vector that remains valid across system updates and deployments. When administrative access to the RabbitMQ GUI is obtained by an attacker, the hardcoded credentials provide immediate elevated privileges that can be leveraged for malicious activities. The attack surface is particularly concerning because RabbitMQ's messaging capabilities are integral to the platform's operational coordination, meaning that compromise of this service can cascade into broader system vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it enables both Denial of Service attacks and potential information disclosure. An attacker with administrative access to the RabbitMQ service can disrupt normal operational flows by manipulating messaging queues, consuming system resources, or blocking legitimate communications between Contrail components. Additionally, the unspecified sensitive system information access represents a significant data exposure risk, potentially allowing attackers to gather intelligence about the system configuration, service dependencies, or operational patterns. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts and T1499.004 for network disruption, demonstrating how hardcoded credentials can enable multiple attack vectors.
The remediation approach for this vulnerability requires immediate implementation of proper credential management practices, including the removal of hardcoded credentials and implementation of dynamic authentication mechanisms. Organizations should upgrade to Juniper Networks Contrail Cloud version 13.6.0 or later, which addresses this specific weakness through proper credential handling. Security configurations should enforce strong authentication practices, including the use of unique, randomly generated credentials for each service instance. The mitigation strategy should also include network segmentation to limit access to RabbitMQ administrative interfaces, implementing least privilege access controls, and regular security assessments to identify and eliminate similar hardcoded credential vulnerabilities across the system landscape. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 requirements for credential management and access control.