CVE-2019-14891 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This CVE-2019-14891 article provides insights into a vulnerability found in cri-o, impacting container management processes and potentially allowing unauthorized network access to the host.

Understanding CVE-2019-14891

CVE-2019-14891 is a vulnerability in cri-o that arises from the consolidation of pod-related processes within the same memory cgroup, leading to potential termination of container management processes during out-of-memory situations.

What is CVE-2019-14891?

The flaw in cri-o allows attackers to gain host network access by exploiting the memory cgroup configuration, resulting in the termination of container management processes.

The Impact of CVE-2019-14891

The vulnerability poses a medium severity risk with a CVSS base score of 5. It can lead to unauthorized access to the host network on a cri-o host.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-14891

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in cri-o results from placing all pod-related processes in the same memory cgroup, potentially causing conmon processes to be killed in out-of-memory scenarios.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: cri-o
Vendor: Not applicable
Versions: Not applicable

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by triggering an out-of-memory condition in the memory cgroup, allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to the host network.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Monitor memory usage and promptly address any out-of-memory situations.
Implement network segmentation to limit unauthorized access.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update cri-o to the latest version to patch known vulnerabilities.
Conduct security audits to identify and address potential weaknesses in container management.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by cri-o developers to address the vulnerability and enhance the security of container management processes.