CVE-2024-3623 in mirror-registry
Summary
by MITRE • 04/25/2024
A flaw was found when using mirror-registry to install Quay. It uses a default database secret key, 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 database secret key. This flaw allows a malicious actor to access sensitive information from Quay's database.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2026
This vulnerability exists within the Quay container registry installation process when utilizing the mirror-registry functionality. The flaw represents a critical security oversight that directly impacts the confidentiality and integrity of container registry deployments. The issue stems from the improper handling of cryptographic keys during the automated deployment workflow, creating a persistent weakness that affects all installations using this specific deployment method. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it establishes a single point of failure that can compromise multiple registry instances simultaneously.
The technical implementation flaw occurs when the mirror-registry installation process incorporates a default database secret key that is hardcoded and stored in plain text within configuration template files. This approach violates fundamental security principles for key management and configuration handling. The plain-text storage of cryptographic secrets directly enables unauthorized access to sensitive data, as demonstrated by the vulnerability's ability to allow malicious actors to gain database access through the shared default key. This represents a classic case of hard-coded credentials that should never be present in production deployment artifacts, aligning with CWE-798 and CWE-312 vulnerability classifications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure to encompass complete database compromise and potential lateral movement within affected environments. When multiple Quay instances utilize the same default database secret key, attackers can leverage this shared weakness to access multiple registry deployments simultaneously. This creates a significant risk for organizations that deploy multiple registry instances or use automated deployment pipelines that rely on the mirror-registry functionality. The vulnerability enables data exfiltration, modification of registry contents, and potential use as a foothold for further attacks within containerized environments, making it particularly dangerous in cloud-native and DevOps environments where registry access is fundamental to deployment workflows.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations that include replacing the default database secret keys with unique, randomly generated values for each deployment instance. The recommended approach involves implementing proper key management practices that utilize environment-specific configuration files or secret management systems such as HashiCorp Vault, Kubernetes secrets, or similar solutions. Security teams must also conduct thorough inventory assessments to identify all affected Quay deployments using the mirror-registry installation method and ensure that each instance has unique cryptographic keys. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following the principle of least privilege and proper credential management, with remediation efforts aligning with ATT&CK technique T1552.2 for credential access and T1078 for valid accounts, as attackers could leverage this weakness to establish persistent access to container registries and potentially move laterally within affected infrastructure.