CVE-2018-19653 : Security Advisory and Response

HashiCorp Consul versions 0.5.1 to 1.4.0 may have unencrypted agent-to-agent RPC communication due to improper documentation of the verify_outgoing setting.

Understanding CVE-2018-19653

HashiCorp Consul versions 0.5.1 to 1.4.0 are affected by a vulnerability that can lead to unencrypted agent-to-agent RPC communication.

What is CVE-2018-19653?

The vulnerability in HashiCorp Consul versions 0.5.1 to 1.4.0 allows for unencrypted agent-to-agent RPC communication due to inadequate documentation of the verify_outgoing setting.

The Impact of CVE-2018-19653

This vulnerability can potentially expose sensitive data transmitted between Consul agents to interception by malicious actors.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-19653

HashiCorp Consul versions 0.5.1 to 1.4.0 are susceptible to unencrypted agent-to-agent RPC communication.

Vulnerability Description

The lack of proper documentation for the verify_outgoing setting in HashiCorp Consul versions 0.5.1 to 1.4.0 can result in unencrypted agent-to-agent RPC communication.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: HashiCorp Consul
Versions: 0.5.1 to 1.4.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to intercept unencrypted agent-to-agent RPC communication within affected versions of HashiCorp Consul.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take:

Follow the reconfiguration steps provided by the vendor to secure agent-to-agent communication.
Implement encryption mechanisms to protect sensitive data transmission. Long-Term Security Practices:
Regularly review and update security configurations to prevent similar vulnerabilities.
Conduct security assessments to identify and address potential weaknesses.
Educate personnel on secure communication practices.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that HashiCorp Consul is updated to a version that addresses the vulnerability to secure agent-to-agent communication.