CVE-2023-48222 in Rundeck
Summary
by MITRE • 11/17/2023
Rundeck is an open source automation service with a web console, command line tools and a WebAPI. In affected versions access to two URLs used in both Rundeck Open Source and Process Automation products could allow authenticated users to access the URL path, which would allow access to view or delete jobs, without the necessary authorization checks. This issue has been addressed in version 4.17.3. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/14/2023
Rundeck represents a critical automation platform that serves as a central hub for enterprise workflow orchestration through its web console, command line interfaces, and WebAPI endpoints. The platform's architecture relies heavily on proper authentication and authorization mechanisms to protect sensitive operational resources including job definitions, execution parameters, and system configurations. When security controls fail within such foundational automation services, the implications extend far beyond simple data exposure to encompass potential operational disruption and unauthorized system manipulation. This vulnerability specifically targets the authorization framework within Rundeck's access control implementation, creating a path for authenticated users to bypass intended security boundaries.
The technical flaw manifests as a missing authorization check in two specific URL endpoints that are integral to job management operations within both Rundeck Open Source and Process Automation product lines. This authorization bypass occurs at the application layer where the system fails to properly validate user permissions before granting access to job-related resources. The vulnerability is classified as a privilege escalation issue that allows authenticated users to perform operations they should not be authorized to execute, including viewing and deleting jobs. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a failure in the application's access control matrix. The flaw exists in the web application's request handling logic where proper permission verification is omitted for these specific endpoints, enabling malicious or compromised authenticated users to exploit the gap in authorization enforcement.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends significantly beyond simple unauthorized access scenarios. An attacker with valid credentials could potentially disrupt critical automation workflows by deleting essential jobs, thereby causing operational outages and service interruptions. The ability to view jobs also exposes sensitive operational information including command structures, execution parameters, and system dependencies that could be leveraged in subsequent attacks. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where Rundeck serves as a core automation platform for system administration, deployment orchestration, and security operations. The exposure of job configurations could reveal sensitive system information, execution patterns, and potentially lead to further privilege escalation opportunities. Organizations relying on Rundeck for mission-critical automation processes face significant risk of operational disruption and security compromise through this authorization bypass.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization within software applications, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential access. The issue specifically impacts the authentication and authorization components of the application security model, creating a pathway for lateral movement and privilege escalation within the automation environment. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including upgrading to version 4.17.3 as recommended by the vendor, conducting comprehensive access reviews, and monitoring for suspicious activity around job management operations. The absence of known workarounds emphasizes the critical nature of this vulnerability and the necessity of applying the vendor-provided patch without delay. Security teams should also consider implementing additional monitoring controls around job access patterns and authorization events to detect potential exploitation attempts.