CVE-2017-2673 : Security Advisory and Response

A vulnerability related to authorization-check in the OpenStack Identity service (keystone) federation setups allows a federated user to obtain unintended administrative roles.

Understanding CVE-2017-2673

This CVE involves a flaw in the OpenStack Identity service (keystone) that could lead to unauthorized access to administrative roles.

What is CVE-2017-2673?

The vulnerability allows a federated user with proper authentication to request permissions for a specific project but may unintentionally acquire all associated roles, including administrative ones.

The Impact of CVE-2017-2673

The vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 6.8, indicating a medium severity issue with high confidentiality and integrity impacts. It requires low privileges and has a high attack complexity.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-2673

The technical aspects of the vulnerability are as follows:

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in the OpenStack Identity service (keystone) allows federated users to gain unauthorized access to administrative roles.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: OpenStack Keystone
Vendor: [UNKNOWN]
Versions affected: Not applicable (n/a)

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by a federated user with proper authentication to request permissions for a specific project and inadvertently obtain all associated roles, including administrative ones.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2017-2673, consider the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Monitor and restrict access to administrative roles.
Implement least privilege access controls.
Regularly review and update role assignments.

Long-Term Security Practices

Conduct regular security training for users on role-based access control.
Implement multi-factor authentication for sensitive operations.
Perform regular security audits and penetration testing.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by the vendor to fix the vulnerability.