CVE-2018-14636 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Instances that undergo live migration in openstack-neutron have a vulnerability that allows them to examine traffic from other instances on the same hypervisor. This CVE affects versions 13.0.0.0b2, 12.0.3, and 11.0.5.

Understanding CVE-2018-14636

This CVE impacts instances undergoing live migration in openstack-neutron, potentially exposing traffic from other instances on the same hypervisor.

What is CVE-2018-14636?

Instances undergoing live migration in openstack-neutron can briefly access traffic from other instances on the same hypervisor, posing a security risk.

The Impact of CVE-2018-14636

CVSS Score: 5.3 (Medium)
Attack Vector: Network
Confidentiality Impact: High
Privileges Required: Low
Vulnerability Type: CWE-300

Technical Details of CVE-2018-14636

Instances undergoing live migration in openstack-neutron are vulnerable to traffic exposure from other instances on the same hypervisor.

Vulnerability Description

Live-migrated instances can potentially view traffic from other instances due to a window of opportunity during migration.

Affected Systems and Versions

Versions 13.0.0.0b2, 12.0.3, and 11.0.5 of openstack-neutron are susceptible to this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

By administratively deactivating the port of the migrated instance before and after live migration, the vulnerability can be exploited.

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to address and prevent the CVE-2018-14636 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update openstack-neutron to versions 13.0.0.0b2 or newer.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement network segmentation to limit traffic exposure.
Regularly review and update security configurations.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by The Openstack Project to fix the vulnerability.