CVE-2021-0279 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A detailed overview of the CVE-2021-0279 vulnerability affecting Juniper Networks Contrail Cloud prior to version 13.6.0, involving hardcoded credentials for the RabbitMQ service.

Understanding CVE-2021-0279

This section provides insights into the nature and impact of the vulnerability.

What is CVE-2021-0279?

The CVE-2021-0279 vulnerability pertains to Juniper Networks Contrail Cloud releases before version 13.6.0, where the RabbitMQ service is enabled with hardcoded credentials, potentially leading to Denial of Service (DoS) attacks or unauthorized access to sensitive system information.

The Impact of CVE-2021-0279

The vulnerability allows attackers with administrative access to RabbitMQ service to exploit the hardcoded credentials, causing service disruptions or obtaining unauthorized system information.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-0279

This section delves into the technical aspects of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

Juniper Networks Contrail Cloud versions before 13.6.0 have RabbitMQ service with hardcoded credentials, enabling potential unauthorized access and DoS attacks.

Affected Systems and Versions

Contrail Cloud versions earlier than 13.6.0 are impacted by this vulnerability due to the presence of hardcoded credentials for RabbitMQ service.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by leveraging the default credentials of RabbitMQ to disrupt services or access sensitive system data.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section outlines the steps to mitigate the CVE-2021-0279 vulnerability in Juniper Networks Contrail Cloud.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users should update to Juniper Networks Contrail Cloud version 13.6.0 or later to address this vulnerability. Setting a non-default password for RabbitMQ is essential to enhance security.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement best security practices, such as limiting network and device access and following least privilege principles, to reduce the risk of exploitation.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely installation of software updates provided by Juniper Networks to resolve the hardcoded credentials issue for the RabbitMQ service.