CVE-2020-7020 : What You Need to Know

Elasticsearch versions before 6.8.13 and 7.9.2 contain a document disclosure flaw when Document or Field Level Security is used. This vulnerability could allow attackers to view sensitive documents they should not have access to.

Understanding CVE-2020-7020

Elasticsearch vulnerability impacting versions before 6.8.13 and 7.9.2.

What is CVE-2020-7020?

CVE-2020-7020 is a privilege context switching error (CWE-270) in Elasticsearch versions before 6.8.13 and 7.9.2. It allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to potentially sensitive indices.

The Impact of CVE-2020-7020

The vulnerability could lead to unauthorized disclosure of documents, providing attackers with additional insight into sensitive data.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-7020

Elasticsearch vulnerability details.

Vulnerability Description

Document disclosure flaw in Elasticsearch versions before 6.8.13 and 7.9.2
Search queries fail to preserve security permissions, potentially revealing restricted documents

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Elasticsearch
Vendor: Elastic
Vulnerable Versions: before 6.8.13 and 7.9.2

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers exploit the flaw by executing complex search queries that bypass security permissions

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2020-7020.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Elasticsearch to version 6.8.13 or 7.9.2 or later
Implement proper access controls and security configurations
Monitor Elasticsearch logs for suspicious activities

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update Elasticsearch to the latest versions
Conduct security audits and penetration testing to identify vulnerabilities
Educate users on secure Elasticsearch usage

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by Elastic to address the vulnerability