CVE-2023-29193 : Security Advisory and Response

This article provides an in-depth analysis of CVE-2023-29193, a vulnerability impacting SpiceDB binding metrics that can lead to the exposure of sensitive data.

Understanding CVE-2023-29193

CVE-2023-29193 highlights a security flaw in SpiceDB that can potentially leak command-line flags, including sensitive information, when the metrics port is bound to untrusted networks.

What is CVE-2023-29193?

SpiceDB, a Google Zanzibar-inspired database system, exposes a command-line flag (

--grpc-preshared-key

) via the

/debug/pprof/cmdline

endpoint, potentially revealing sensitive data, such as passwords, to unauthorized users.

The Impact of CVE-2023-29193

Deployments following production best practices are not affected. However, users exposing the metrics port to untrusted networks and configuring

--grpc-preshared-key

via command-line may be at risk of data exposure.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-29193

This section delves deeper into the vulnerability, its affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The issue lies in the

spicedb serve

command's exposure of the

--grpc-preshared-key

flag via an endpoint, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive data, fixed in version 1.19.1.

Affected Systems and Versions

SpiceDB versions below 1.19.1 are affected, particularly those exposing the metrics port to untrusted networks.

Exploitation Mechanism

By accessing the

/debug/pprof/cmdline

endpoint, unauthorized users can retrieve sensitive command-line flags, including the

--grpc-preshared-key

.

Mitigation and Prevention

This segment outlines immediate steps and long-term security practices to mitigate the CVE-2023-29193 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users can mitigate the risk by configuring the preshared key via environment variables, reconfiguring metrics port settings, or adopting recommended deployment models.

Long-Term Security Practices

To enhance security, users are advised to follow best practices, restrict access to sensitive endpoints, and adopt environment-variable-based configurations such as deployment models provided by Authzed.

Patching and Updates

The vulnerability has been addressed in version 1.19.1 of SpiceDB. Users are urged to update to the latest version to prevent data exposure.

This CVE underscores the importance of securing sensitive information and adopting robust security measures to safeguard against potential breaches.