CVE-2023-1782 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This CVE, assigned by HashiCorp, involves a vulnerability in HashiCorp Nomad and Nomad Enterprise versions 1.5.0 up to 1.5.2 that allows unauthenticated users to bypass intended ACL authorizations.

Understanding CVE-2023-1782

This vulnerability, known as "Nomad Unauthenticated Client Agent HTTP Request Privilege Escalation," impacts HashiCorp's Nomad and Nomad Enterprise platforms.

What is CVE-2023-1782?

The CVE-2023-1782 vulnerability allows unauthenticated users to circumvent intended Access Control List (ACL) authorizations for clusters where mTLS (mutual Transport Layer Security) is not enabled. It affects Nomad and Nomad Enterprise versions 1.5.0 to 1.5.2 and has been fixed in version 1.5.3.

The Impact of CVE-2023-1782

The impact of CVE-2023-1782 is categorized by high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts. This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized users gaining privileged access to Nomad clusters, potentially compromising sensitive data or disrupting operations.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-1782

This section provides more in-depth information about the vulnerability, affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in HashiCorp Nomad and Nomad Enterprise versions 1.5.0 to 1.5.2 allows unauthenticated users to bypass intended ACL authorizations when mTLS is not enabled, potentially leading to privilege escalation through HTTP requests.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected systems include HashiCorp's Nomad and Nomad Enterprise platforms in versions 1.5.0 up to 1.5.2. Systems where mTLS is not enabled are at risk of exploitation.

Exploitation Mechanism

By exploiting this vulnerability, unauthenticated users can bypass intended ACL authorizations, gaining unauthorized access to Nomad clusters and potentially escalating privileges using HTTP requests.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2023-1782 and prevent exploitation, appropriate mitigation steps and long-term security practices should be implemented.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Nomad and Nomad Enterprise to version 1.5.3 or higher, where the vulnerability has been addressed.
Enable mTLS on Nomad clusters to enforce secure communication and prevent unauthorized access.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor for security updates and apply patches promptly to prevent potential vulnerabilities.
Implement multi-factor authentication and strong access control measures to enhance cluster security.

Patching and Updates

HashiCorp has released version 1.5.3 to fix the CVE-2023-1782 vulnerability. Organizations using Nomad or Nomad Enterprise should update to this version to mitigate the risk of unauthenticated privilege escalation through HTTP requests.