CVE-2018-3831 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Elasticsearch versions before 6.4.1 or 5.6.12 are vulnerable to an information exposure issue in the Alerting and Monitoring feature, potentially leading to the disclosure of sensitive data.

Understanding CVE-2018-3831

This CVE involves a vulnerability in Elasticsearch that allows authenticated users to access confidential configuration information through the _cluster/settings API.

What is CVE-2018-3831?

The vulnerability in Elasticsearch versions prior to 6.4.1 or 5.6.12 enables the exposure of sensitive data, including passwords, tokens, and usernames, when secrets are configured using the API.

The Impact of CVE-2018-3831

The disclosure of confidential configuration data can lead to unauthorized access by authenticated Elasticsearch users, potentially compromising sensitive information.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-3831

Elasticsearch Alerting and Monitoring feature in affected versions have an information disclosure issue when secrets are configured via the API.

Vulnerability Description

The _cluster/settings API in Elasticsearch can inadvertently leak sensitive configuration details, such as passwords and tokens, to authenticated users.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Elasticsearch
Vendor: Elastic
Vulnerable Versions: before 5.6.12 and 6.4.1

Exploitation Mechanism

An authenticated Elasticsearch user can exploit this vulnerability by querying the _cluster/settings API to access confidential configuration data.

Mitigation and Prevention

It is crucial to take immediate steps to address and prevent the exploitation of CVE-2018-3831.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Elasticsearch to version 5.6.12 or 6.4.1 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Review and secure sensitive configuration data to prevent unauthorized access.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and audit access to Elasticsearch configuration settings.
Implement strong authentication and access control measures to protect sensitive information.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches and updates provided by Elastic to address the vulnerability and enhance system security.