CVE-2026-59780 in CloudStack
Summary
by MITRE • 08/21/2026
Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor vulnerability in Apache CloudStack's LDAP authentication plugin while listing LDAP providers.
LDAP configurations can be listed by any authenticated user with access to the listLdapConfigurations API. By default, this API is available to all default roles.
This issue affects Apache CloudStack: from 4.2.0.0 through 4.20.3.0 and from 4.21.0.0 through 4.22.1.0.
Users are recommended to upgrade to version 4.20.3.1 or 4.22.1.1 or later, which fixes the issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/21/2026
The vulnerability identified in Apache CloudStack represents a critical flaw within its LDAP authentication plugin architecture, specifically categorized under CWE-200 as an Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor. This security defect arises from improper access control mechanisms governing the listLdapConfigurations API endpoint. While the system correctly restricts certain administrative actions based on user roles, it fails to adequately validate permissions for this specific enumeration operation. Consequently, any authenticated user who possesses basic access privileges associated with default roles can invoke this API without requiring elevated administrator rights. This misconfiguration allows lower-privileged users to retrieve detailed configuration data regarding LDAP providers integrated into the CloudStack environment, which constitutes a significant deviation from the principle of least privilege and exposes sensitive infrastructure details that should remain restricted to system administrators only.
The technical nature of this flaw involves the exposure of internal authentication backend configurations. When an authorized but non-administrative user queries the listLdapConfigurations endpoint, the API returns comprehensive information about how LDAP servers are configured within the CloudStack deployment. This data typically includes connection strings, base distinguished names (DNs), search filters, and potentially other parameters that define how the system interacts with external identity providers. Although this response may not directly expose plaintext passwords or secret keys in every configuration scenario, it provides attackers with a detailed map of the authentication infrastructure. Such information is invaluable for planning further attacks, such as crafting targeted phishing campaigns against specific user groups defined by LDAP attributes, identifying potential weak points in directory service integration, or validating assumptions about the organization's identity management strategy during reconnaissance phases.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability facilitates advanced threat actor activities by enabling detailed enumeration of authentication mechanisms without triggering high-level security alerts associated with administrative actions. Attackers can leverage this information to understand the scope and structure of user directories, potentially identifying privileged accounts or specific organizational units within the LDAP hierarchy. This intelligence gathering phase is a precursor to more destructive attacks, such as privilege escalation attempts where knowledge of LDAP structures aids in crafting valid credentials for targeted users. Furthermore, exposure of these configurations may reveal network topology details if internal IP addresses or hostnames are included in the connection parameters, thereby expanding the attack surface beyond just authentication logic into potential lateral movement opportunities within the private network segment hosting the directory services.
This issue affects multiple versions of Apache CloudStack, specifically ranging from version 4.20.3.0 and earlier back to 4.2.0.0, as well as versions from 4.21.0.0 through 4.22.1.0. The persistence of this vulnerability across such a wide range of releases highlights the importance of rigorous access control reviews during API development cycles. Security researchers and practitioners should note that while default roles are designed for convenience, they must not inadvertently grant excessive permissions to sensitive administrative endpoints. The ATT&CK framework classifies this behavior under T1087.2, which involves Account Discovery via Local Authentication Systems, as the attacker is enumerating account-related configuration details through an authenticated session.
To mitigate this vulnerability and restore proper security posture, organizations are strongly advised to upgrade Apache CloudStack immediately to version 4.20.3.1 or 4.22.1.1, or any later release where these access control restrictions have been implemented. These patched versions enforce stricter role-based access controls on the listLdapConfigurations API, ensuring that only users with explicit administrative privileges can retrieve LDAP provider configurations. In environments where upgrading is not immediately feasible due to operational constraints, temporary mitigations should include restricting network-level access to CloudStack management servers and implementing web application firewalls or reverse proxies that enforce additional authentication checks for sensitive API endpoints. Additionally, security teams should audit existing user roles to ensure no non-administrative users have been granted excessive permissions through custom role definitions, thereby reducing the window of opportunity for exploitation until permanent patches are applied.