CVE-2022-1833 - Exploiting a Privilege Escalation Vulnerability in AMQ Broker Operator 7.9.4

A security vulnerability has been discovered in AMQ Broker Operator 7.9.4 when installed via UI using OperatorHub. This flaw, referenced as CVE-2022-1833, allows a low-privileged user having access to the namespace where the AMQ Operator is deployed, to gain cluster-wide edit rights by inspecting the secrets. This vulnerability stems from the service account used for building the operator which provides more permissions than necessary. An attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability to escalate their privileges and gain broader access to the system. However, it is important to note that exploiting this vulnerability requires an already compromised low-privilege account or an insider attack.

Below is a sample code snippet illustrating the issue

apiVersion: v1
kind: ServiceAccount
metadata:
  name: amq-broker-operator
  namespace: operator-namespace
secrets:
  - name: amq-broker-operator-token-abc123

In this example, the service account named amq-broker-operator grants more permissions than needed to interact with the AMQ Broker Operator. An attacker who can access this namespace can query the secrets and gain cluster-wide edit rights, exposing the entire cluster to potential attacks.

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would follow these steps

1. Gain access to a low-privilege user account that has namespace access where the AMQ Operator is deployed.

Identify the service account with excessive permissions (e.g., amq-broker-operator).

3. Inspect the secrets associated with the service account to retrieve the token (e.g., amq-broker-operator-token-abc123).
4. Use the retrieved token to authenticate API requests and perform unauthorized actions with cluster-wide edit rights.

The following sources provide detailed information about this vulnerability

- Red Hat Security Advisory
- NIST National Vulnerability Database (NVD)

To mitigate this vulnerability, administrators should implement the following steps

- Update the AMQ Broker Operator to version 7.9.5 or subsequent releases that contain the security patch addressing this issue.
- Alternatively, manually modify the service account's permissions to limit the scope of access and reduce potential risks.
- Monitor user account activities and investigate any suspicious behavior to detect and respond to potential insider attacks or compromised accounts.

Conclusion

CVE-2022-1833 is a privilege escalation vulnerability affecting AMQ Broker Operator 7.9.4 that allows an attacker with a low-privilege user account to gain cluster-wide edit rights by querying the secrets. This vulnerability can result in unauthorized access and manipulation of sensitive information, potentially leading to a full compromise of the environment. Administrators should promptly address this vulnerability by applying the appropriate security patches and following the mitigation steps outlined above.

Timeline

Published on: 06/21/2022 15:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 06/29/2022 14:08:00 UTC