CVE-2024-3622 in mirror-registry
Summary
by MITRE • 04/25/2024
A flaw was found when using mirror-registry to install Quay. It uses a default secret, which is stored in plain-text format in one of the configuration template files. This issue may lead to all instances of Quay deployed using mirror-registry to have the same secret key. This flaw allows a malicious actor to craft session cookies and as a consequence, it may lead to gaining access to the affected Quay instance.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2025
This vulnerability resides within the Quay container registry deployment mechanism when utilizing the mirror-registry installation method. The flaw manifests as a hardcoded default secret that is persistently stored in plaintext within configuration template files, creating a critical security weakness that affects all Quay instances deployed through this specific approach. The use of identical default credentials across multiple deployments creates a single point of failure that significantly undermines the security posture of container registry environments. This issue directly violates security best practices outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and aligns with CWE-798, which addresses the use of hard-coded credentials in software applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs at the deployment configuration level where the mirror-registry tool automatically injects a predetermined secret key into configuration templates without proper randomization or cryptographic protection. When these templates are processed during Quay installation, the plaintext secret becomes embedded within the system configuration, making it accessible to any entity with file system access or during the installation process. This configuration flaw enables attackers to predict and replicate session tokens, effectively allowing them to forge authentication cookies that grant unauthorized access to the registry instance. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and impacts the authentication mechanism, specifically targeting the session management component that relies on this hardcoded secret for cookie generation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it creates persistent security exposure across all affected Quay deployments. A malicious actor who discovers this default secret can not only impersonate legitimate users but also potentially escalate privileges within the registry environment. This weakness allows for unauthorized image pushing, pulling, and management operations, effectively compromising the integrity and confidentiality of container images stored within the registry. The vulnerability's scope is particularly concerning in multi-tenant environments where multiple organizations rely on the same registry infrastructure, as a single compromised instance could affect numerous applications and workloads.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security hardening. Organizations should immediately replace the hardcoded default secret with a cryptographically secure random value generated during the installation process, following NIST SP 800-132 guidelines for password management. The configuration templates should be modified to remove plaintext secrets and implement dynamic secret generation or integration with secure secret management systems such as HashiCorp Vault or Kubernetes secrets. Security teams should also implement continuous monitoring for hardcoded credentials in configuration files and establish automated scanning processes to detect similar issues in other deployment tools. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced by ensuring that only necessary components have access to the secret keys, and regular rotation policies should be implemented to minimize the window of opportunity for attackers to exploit this weakness. This remediation approach aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1552.001 for credentials in files and addresses the broader category of credential exposure vulnerabilities.