CVE-2018-11747 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

CVE-2018-11747, related to Puppet Discovery, addresses an insecure default issue with versions prior to 1.4.0.

Understanding CVE-2018-11747

Puppet Discovery had a vulnerability where a pre-generated TLS certificate was included in the nginx container by default.

What is CVE-2018-11747?

In versions before 1.4.0, Puppet Discovery shipped with a default TLS certificate in the nginx container, posing a security risk.

The Impact of CVE-2018-11747

The insecure default configuration could potentially expose sensitive data to unauthorized access or interception.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-11747

Puppet Discovery's vulnerability can be further understood through the following technical details:

Vulnerability Description

The issue stemmed from the inclusion of a pre-generated TLS certificate in the nginx container, creating a security loophole.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Puppet Discovery
Vendor: Puppet
Versions Affected: All versions prior to 1.4.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to intercept sensitive data transmitted over insecure connections due to the default TLS certificate.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2018-11747 and enhance security measures, consider the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Puppet Discovery to version 1.4.0 or newer to ensure the automatic generation of a unique TLS certificate.
Alternatively, provide a custom TLS certificate for enhanced security.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and update security configurations to prevent default insecure settings.
Implement secure communication protocols and encryption methods to safeguard data.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates and patches released by Puppet to address vulnerabilities promptly.