CVE-2020-27781 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

User credentials can be manipulated and stolen by Native CephFS consumers of OpenStack Manila, potentially leading to privilege escalation. This vulnerability affects Ceph versions prior to 14.2.16, 15.x prior to 15.2.8, and 16.x prior to 16.2.0.

Understanding CVE-2020-27781

This CVE involves the manipulation and theft of user credentials by Native CephFS consumers of OpenStack Manila, allowing for potential privilege escalation.

What is CVE-2020-27781?

OpenStack Manila users can request access to a share to an arbitrary cephx user, including existing users.
The access key is retrieved via the interface drivers, enabling all users of the requesting OpenStack project to view the access key.
This flaw can compromise even "admin" users, potentially compromising the ceph administrator.

The Impact of CVE-2020-27781

Allows attackers to target any resource the user has access to, posing a significant security risk.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-27781

This section provides technical details about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

User credentials can be manipulated and stolen by Native CephFS consumers of OpenStack Manila.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: n/a
Product: Ceph
Affected Version: Ceph 16.2.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can request access to a share to an arbitrary cephx user, retrieve the access key, and potentially compromise the ceph administrator.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2020-27781 is crucial for maintaining security.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Ceph to versions 14.2.16, 15.2.8, or 16.2.0 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor access to shares and access keys for suspicious activities.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement strong access controls and regularly review user permissions.
Conduct security training to educate users on best practices for handling credentials.

Patching and Updates

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