CVE-2022-29186 is a critical vulnerability in PagerDuty's Rundeck, an open-source automation service. The issue stems from the inclusion of a pre-generated SSH keypair in the Rundeck community and rundeck-enterprise Docker images. If the public key (id_rsa.pub) from this keypair is copied to authorized_keys files on remote hosts, it grants access to any party possessing the corresponding private key. This vulnerability specifically impacts Rundeck Docker instances of PagerDuty® Process Automation On Prem version 4.0 and earlier, excluding Debian, RPM, or .WAR instances.
The vulnerability is classified as critical due to its high CVSS score of 9.1. Organizations that have utilized the affected Docker images must act swiftly to mitigate the risk of unauthorized access. A patch has been applied to the Rundeck main branch, which removes the pre-generated SSH keys; however, it is vital to note that this does not eliminate any keys that have already been configured on systems.
To fully remediate this issue, affected users must execute a script to locate and rotate any exposed keys within their environment. Additionally, two workarounds are available for immediate implementation: avoid utilizing any public key file from the Rundeck Docker images for SSH access and remove any copied public key from authorized_keys files if it has been added.
Given the critical nature of this vulnerability, organizations should prioritize patching immediately to safeguard their systems from potential unauthorized access.
Vulnerability Details
Rundeck is an open source automation service with a web console, command line tools, and a WebAPI. The pre-generated SSH keypair issue arises from the misconfiguration of Rundeck Docker instances, impacting versions 4.0 and earlier. The CVSS vector string is CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N, which translates to a base score of 9.1 and denotes high impacts on confidentiality and integrity, while availability remains unaffected.
The CWE classifications associated with this vulnerability include CWE-321 (Use of Hard-coded Cryptographic Key) and CWE-798 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials).
Technical Analysis
The root cause of CVE-2022-29186 is the inclusion of a pre-generated SSH keypair within the Docker images, which can lead to unauthorized access if the public key is mismanaged. The attack vector is network-based, with low complexity, requiring no privileges or user interaction for exploitation. This means that if an attacker can access the Docker image, they can easily misuse the embedded keypair to compromise any systems where the public key has been authorized.
The impacts on confidentiality and integrity are high, as unauthorized access could lead to sensitive data exposure or manipulation. Availability is not impacted, as the vulnerability does not directly affect service uptime.
Risk & Impact Analysis
The real-world risk associated with this vulnerability is significant, as it allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive systems and data. Organizations utilizing Rundeck can face severe repercussions, including data breaches and potential legal ramifications. The blast radius for this vulnerability can be extensive if exposed keys are not rotated promptly.
Given the critical CVSS score, organizations must assess their exposure to this vulnerability and act without delay. This vulnerability's presence in Docker images highlights a common misconfiguration risk that can lead to widespread exploitation if not addressed.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The vulnerability affects all versions of Rundeck prior to 4.1.0 for both community and enterprise editions. Users must ensure they are updated to this version or later to mitigate the risk.
Mitigation & Remediation
To remediate this vulnerability, organizations must immediately update to Rundeck version 4.1.0 or later. Additionally, a script should be executed to search for and rotate any exposed keys. Users are advised to avoid using any pre-existing public key file from the Rundeck Docker images for SSH access.
For organizations looking to improve their security posture, consider utilizing penetration testing to identify and remediate vulnerabilities proactively.
Detection Guidance
Organizations should monitor system logs for any unusual SSH access patterns. Additionally, behavioral anomalies related to the use of SSH keys should be flagged for further investigation.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2022-29186 underscores the need for organizations to implement secure coding practices and proper configuration management. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the potential risks associated with hard-coded credentials, which can lead to severe breaches.
Security teams should learn from this incident to proactively assess their environments for similar misconfigurations. Implementing a vulnerability management program can help in identifying and addressing such vulnerabilities before they are exploited.
For more about how to secure your systems against similar vulnerabilities, consider exploring our penetration testing methodology and best practices.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
.webp)