CVE-2020-11652 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting SaltStack Salt versions prior to 2019.2.4 and 3000 before 3000.2. This vulnerability allows authenticated users to exploit the salt-master process ClearFuncs class, which improperly sanitizes paths. Consequently, this issue facilitates arbitrary directory access, posing a significant risk to organizational security.
The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 6.5, indicating a medium level of severity. The attack vector is classified as network-based, with low complexity and requiring low privileges. Organizations utilizing affected versions should recognize the potential for significant confidentiality impact, as sensitive data may be exposed.
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately to mitigate the risks associated with this vulnerability. The publication date of this CVE was April 30, 2020, and it remains crucial for defenders to review their systems for exposure.
Currently, the exploitation status indicates that there is known exploit availability, and this vulnerability is included in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog (KEV). Therefore, immediate action is warranted.
Vulnerability Details
An issue was discovered in SaltStack Salt before 2019.2.4 and 3000 before 3000.2. The salt-master process ClearFuncs class allows access to some methods that improperly sanitize paths. These methods allow arbitrary directory access to authenticated users. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-22, which pertains to improper limiting of a pathname to a restricted directory.
The CVSS score for CVE-2020-11652 is 6.5, categorized as medium severity. The attack vector is network-based, with a low attack complexity and requires low privileges. User interaction is not required, and the potential confidentiality impact is high, while integrity and availability impacts are none.
The vulnerability affects multiple products, including Salt, Leap, Debian Linux, Ubuntu Linux, and BlackBerry Workspaces Server. It was published on April 30, 2020, and organizations should address it urgently.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insufficient sanitization of file paths within the ClearFuncs class of the salt-master process. Attackers may leverage this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive directories by exploiting path traversal techniques.
The attack vector is network-based, allowing remote exploitation without the need for physical access to the system. The complexity of the attack is low, as it requires only low privileges to execute. User interaction is not necessary for an attack to succeed.
The vulnerability can significantly impact the confidentiality of the affected systems, exposing sensitive data to unauthorized users. However, there are no integrity or availability impacts associated with this flaw.
Risk & Impact Analysis
The real-world risk associated with CVE-2020-11652 includes unauthorized access to sensitive directories by authenticated users, which could lead to data breaches and potential compliance issues. Organizations should consider the blast radius of this vulnerability, especially those with extensive data repositories accessible through SaltStack Salt.
Given the CVSS score of 6.5 and its inclusion in the KEV list, organizations must assess the urgency of remediation. Immediate patching is critical to prevent exploitation and safeguard sensitive information.
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | Yes |
Public PoC | Yes |
Actively Exploited | Yes |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The following versions of SaltStack Salt are affected by this vulnerability: All versions prior to vendor patch 2019.2.4 and 3000 prior to 3000.2. Additionally, other products such as Debian Linux versions 8.0, 9.0, and 10.0, Ubuntu Linux versions 16.04 and 18.04, as well as VMware application remote collector versions 7.5.0 and 8.0.0 are also impacted.
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should apply updates per vendor instructions to remediate CVE-2020-11652. For SaltStack, users are advised to upgrade to versions 2019.2.4 or 3000.2 and above. If patching is not immediately feasible, consider implementing configuration hardening measures, monitoring for unusual access patterns, and utilizing network controls to restrict access to the salt-master process.
For continuous security testing, organizations can utilize penetration testing strategies to validate their security posture against this and similar vulnerabilities.
Detection Guidance
Organizations should monitor logs for indicators of unauthorized directory access attempts. Look for behavioral anomalies such as unexpected file access patterns and failed authentication attempts. Implementing network signatures that detect malicious requests targeting the salt-master process can also aid in early detection.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
CVE-2020-11652 highlights a critical security gap in SaltStack Salt, emphasizing the need for robust security practices in software development. This vulnerability serves as a reminder for security teams to prioritize thorough security assessments, particularly for software that handles sensitive data.
In light of this vulnerability, organizations should consider regular reviews of their security policies and practices, particularly concerning code sanitation and access controls. For more information on vulnerability management and how to address similar issues, organizations can refer to our resources on vulnerability management programs and penetration testing methodologies for comprehensive security assessments.
This vulnerability underscores the importance of staying informed about emerging threats and maintaining an active security posture.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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