CVE-2024-29008 in CloudStack
Summary
by MITRE • 04/04/2024
A problem has been identified in the CloudStack additional VM configuration (extraconfig) feature which can be misused by anyone who has privilege to deploy a VM instance or configure settings of an already deployed VM instance, to configure additional VM configuration even when the feature is not explicitly enabled by the administrator. In a KVM based CloudStack environment, an attacker can exploit this issue to attach host devices such as storage disks, and PCI and USB devices such as network adapters and GPUs, in a regular VM instance that can be further exploited to gain access to the underlying network and storage infrastructure resources, and access any VM instance disks on the local storage.
Users are advised to upgrade to version 4.18.1.1 or 4.19.0.1, which fixes this issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-29008 represents a critical privilege escalation and resource access flaw within Apache CloudStack's additional VM configuration feature, specifically affecting KVM-based deployments. This issue stems from improper access controls within the CloudStack platform's virtual machine management capabilities, where unauthorized users can manipulate VM configurations despite administrative controls that should prevent such actions. The flaw exists in the extraconfig functionality that allows administrators to configure additional VM parameters, but due to inadequate validation mechanisms, users with basic VM deployment privileges can bypass intended restrictions to attach host devices to virtual machines.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of VM configuration parameters that should be restricted to administrators only. When an attacker with VM deployment privileges attempts to configure additional VM settings, the system fails to properly validate whether the extraconfig feature is explicitly enabled by the administrator. This validation failure allows attackers to attach host devices including storage disks, PCI devices, and USB devices to regular VM instances. The underlying mechanism leverages CloudStack's KVM hypervisor capabilities to expose host-level resources to guest VMs, creating a direct pathway for privilege escalation and lateral movement within the cloud infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple configuration manipulation, as it enables attackers to gain access to the underlying network and storage infrastructure resources that should remain isolated from regular VM instances. When host devices are attached to VMs through this vulnerability, attackers can potentially access any VM instance disks stored on local storage, creating opportunities for data exfiltration, system compromise, and infrastructure-wide attacks. The vulnerability essentially undermines the fundamental isolation principles that cloud environments rely upon, allowing attackers to move laterally between VM instances and potentially access sensitive data stored across the infrastructure. This threat is particularly severe in multi-tenant environments where proper resource isolation is critical for security.
The security implications align with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and represent a significant deviation from the principle of least privilege that should govern cloud computing environments. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to conduct sophisticated attacks such as those categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) and T1041 (Exfiltration Over C2 Channel) by gaining access to underlying storage and network resources. The vulnerability also enables techniques related to T1082 (System Information Discovery) and T1011 (Exfiltration Over Other Network Port) as attackers can discover and access additional system resources through the attached host devices.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to CloudStack versions 4.18.1.1 or 4.19.0.1, which contain the necessary patches to address the validation flaw in the extraconfig feature. Additionally, administrators should review and tighten access controls for VM deployment and configuration privileges, implementing role-based access controls that strictly limit who can manipulate VM settings. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual VM configuration changes, particularly around device attachment operations. Regular security assessments of cloud infrastructure should include verification of access control mechanisms and proper implementation of the principle of least privilege to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the virtualization stack.