CVE-2017-8441 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Elastic X-Pack Security versions prior to 5.4.1 and 5.3.3 had a bug that incorrectly applied Document Level Security to index aliases, potentially allowing unauthorized access to restricted data.

Understanding CVE-2017-8441

Versions of Elastic X-Pack Security prior to 5.4.1 and 5.3.3 had a vulnerability that impacted the correct application of Document Level Security to index aliases.

What is CVE-2017-8441?

This CVE refers to a bug in Elastic X-Pack Security versions prior to 5.4.1 and 5.3.3 that led to the incorrect enforcement of Document Level Security on index aliases.

The Impact of CVE-2017-8441

The vulnerability could enable users with limited permissions to view data that should have been restricted when performing specific operations on an index alias.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-8441

Elastic X-Pack Security versions prior to 5.4.1 and 5.3.3 were affected by a bug related to Document Level Security enforcement.

Vulnerability Description

The bug caused incorrect application of Document Level Security to index aliases, potentially exposing restricted data to unauthorized users.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: X-Pack Security
Vendor: Elastic
Versions Affected: Prior to 5.4.1 and 5.3.3

Exploitation Mechanism

Unauthorized users with limited permissions could exploit the bug to view restricted data when interacting with index aliases.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take:

Upgrade X-Pack Security to version 5.4.1 or 5.3.3 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Review and adjust permissions to ensure data security. Long-Term Security Practices:
Regularly update software to the latest versions to address security issues.
Conduct security audits to identify and address vulnerabilities promptly.
Educate users on data access policies and best practices.
Monitor and log access to sensitive data for anomaly detection.
Implement multi-factor authentication and strong password policies.
Consider implementing additional security measures like encryption and access controls.

Patching and Updates

Ensure all systems running Elastic X-Pack Security are updated to versions 5.4.1 or 5.3.3 to patch the vulnerability.