CVE-2018-17195 : What You Need to Know

CVE-2018-17195 was published on December 19, 2018, by Apache Software Foundation. The vulnerability affected Apache NiFi versions 1.0.0 to 1.7.1, exposing users to a severe Cross Site Request Forgery (CSRF) attack.

Understanding CVE-2018-17195

This CVE highlights a vulnerability in the API endpoint for uploading templates in Apache NiFi, leading to a CSRF attack when specific conditions are met.

What is CVE-2018-17195?

The vulnerability allowed malicious actors to conduct a CSRF attack by exploiting the template upload API endpoint in Apache NiFi under specific circumstances.

The Impact of CVE-2018-17195

The attack required a complex set of conditions, including ARP spoofing, man-in-the-middle attack, client certificate authentication, and injecting malicious code into an unprotected website visited by the target user. Despite the complexity, the potential damage warranted a Severe severity classification.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-17195

This section delves into the technical aspects of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Apache NiFi's template upload API endpoint allowed requests from different domains when combined with ARP spoofing and man-in-the-middle attacks, resulting in a CSRF exploit.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Apache NiFi
Vendor: Apache Software Foundation
Versions Affected: Apache NiFi 1.0.0 - 1.7.1

Exploitation Mechanism

The attack required a scenario with client certificate authentication, access to the same subnet, and injecting malicious code into an unprotected website visited by the target user.

Mitigation and Prevention

Addressing the vulnerability and preventing future exploits is crucial.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users of Apache NiFi versions 1.0.0 to 1.7.1 should upgrade to version 1.8.0 or later to apply the Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) policy request filtering.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement network segmentation to prevent ARP spoofing and man-in-the-middle attacks.
Enforce HTTPS for secure communication.

Patching and Updates

Regularly update Apache NiFi to the latest version to ensure security patches are applied.