CVE-2023-22463 : Security Advisory and Response

This CVE-2023-22463 involves a vulnerability in KubePi's hardcoded Jwtsigkeys that allows a malicious actor to login with a forged JWT token.

Understanding CVE-2023-22463

This vulnerability lies in how KubePi handles JWT authentication up to version 1.6.2, using hard-coded Jwtsigkeys. This issue leads to all online projects sharing the same Jwtsigkeys, enabling an attacker to forge a JWT token and gain control of the administrator account in any online project. Additionally, this could allow the attacker to take over the k8s cluster of the targeted enterprise. The vulnerability is identified in the

session.go

file, where the hardcoded JwtSigKey enables attackers to forge JWT tokens at will. The confidentiality of the JwtSigKey makes it unsuitable for hard-coding in the code. The vulnerability has been addressed in version 1.6.3, where the JWT key is now specified in app.yml. Leaving it blank will result in the usage of a random key.

What is CVE-2023-22463?

The vulnerability in KubePi's handling of JWT authentication up to version 1.6.2 allows attackers to forge a JWT token, gaining unauthorized access to administrator accounts and potentially taking control of k8s clusters.

The Impact of CVE-2023-22463

The impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it allows malicious actors to exploit hard-coded Jwtsigkeys to forge JWT tokens and compromise administrator accounts and k8s clusters, posing a significant risk to affected systems and data.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-22463

The technical details include the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

KubePi's use of hard-coded Jwtsigkeys in JWT authentication allows attackers to forge JWT tokens, enabling unauthorized access to administrator accounts and potential compromise of k8s clusters.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects KubePi versions prior to 1.6.3, where the use of hard-coded Jwtsigkeys poses a security risk in JWT authentication, impacting the confidentiality and integrity of online projects and k8s clusters.

Exploitation Mechanism

By exploiting the hard-coded JwtSigKey in the

session.go

file, attackers can forge JWT tokens, granting them unauthorized access to administrator accounts and potential control over k8s clusters.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2023-22463, immediate steps, long-term security practices, and the importance of patching and updates are crucial.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to upgrade KubePi to version 1.6.3 or higher to address the vulnerability.
Ensure that the JWT key is specified in the app.yml file to prevent the use of hard-coded Jwtsigkeys.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement secure coding practices, avoid hard-coding sensitive information, and regularly review and update authentication mechanisms to enhance system security.

Patching and Updates

Regularly apply patches and updates provided by KubePi to address security vulnerabilities promptly and maintain the security of the system.