CVE-2017-8452 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis
Learn about CVE-2017-8452 affecting Kibana versions before 5.2.1. Understand the impact, affected systems, exploitation mechanism, and mitigation steps to prevent file descriptor accumulation leading to crashes.
CVE-2017-8452 was published on June 16, 2017, affecting Kibana versions prior to 5.2.1. This vulnerability, assigned by Elastic, relates to file descriptor cleanup issues in SSL client access configurations.
Understanding CVE-2017-8452
What is CVE-2017-8452?
CVE-2017-8452 involves a failure to properly clean up file descriptors in Kibana versions before 5.2.1 when configured for SSL client access. This oversight can lead to a gradual accumulation of file descriptors, potentially causing crashes.
The Impact of CVE-2017-8452
The vulnerability can result in the accumulation of file descriptors over time, leading to process crashes and potential service disruptions.
Technical Details of CVE-2017-8452
Vulnerability Description
If using Kibana versions earlier than 5.2.1 with SSL client access configuration, file descriptors may not be cleaned up after specific requests, causing a crash due to accumulated descriptors.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Product: Kibana
- Vendor: Elastic
- Versions Affected: Before 5.2.1
Exploitation Mechanism
The vulnerability occurs due to the failure to release file descriptors after their effective lifetime, impacting the stability of the process.
Mitigation and Prevention
Immediate Steps to Take
- Upgrade Kibana to version 5.2.1 or newer to mitigate the vulnerability.
- Monitor file descriptor usage to detect any abnormal accumulation.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update software and apply security patches promptly.
- Implement proper file descriptor management practices to prevent similar issues.
Patching and Updates
Ensure timely installation of updates and patches provided by Elastic to address the file descriptor cleanup vulnerability.