A vulnerability exists in NGINX OSS and NGINX Plus when configured to proxy to upstream Transport Layer Security (TLS) servers. This vulnerability allows attackers with a man-in-the-middle (MITM) position on the upstream server side to inject plain text data into the response from an upstream proxied server. Software versions that have reached End of Technical Support (EoTS) are not evaluated.
The severity of this vulnerability is classified as high, with a CVSS score of 8.2. This indicates a significant risk to organizations utilizing affected versions of F5 NGINX products. The potential for exploitation is high, and organizations should address this vulnerability in their priority patch cycle.
Risk to organizations includes the possibility for unauthorized data manipulation and exposure. Attackers may leverage this vulnerability to perform man-in-the-middle attacks on upstream TLS connections, potentially leading to data breaches or other malicious activities.
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately. Continuous monitoring and assessment of configurations are essential to safeguard against potential exploitation.
Vulnerability Details
The vulnerability in question affects multiple components including nginx_gateway_fabric, nginx_ingress_controller, nginx_instance_manager, nginx_open_source, and nginx_plus. The official description highlights the exploitation potential when configured to proxy to upstream TLS servers.
This vulnerability has a CVSS score of 8.2, indicating high severity, with the attack vector classified as network. The attack complexity is low, meaning that an attacker can exploit this vulnerability with minimal effort.
The confidentiality impact is classified as none, while the integrity impact is high, indicating a significant potential for data manipulation. The availability impact is also none, reflecting that the vulnerability does not disrupt service availability.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of responses from upstream servers. When configured to proxy TLS, the NGINX server does not adequately protect against MITM attacks, allowing attackers to inject arbitrary data into the response.
The attack vector is network-based, requiring an attacker to be positioned between the client and the upstream TLS server. The attack complexity is low, as the attacker does not require special privileges or user interaction to exploit this vulnerability.
No privileges are required for the attacker to execute the exploit, and user interaction is not necessary. Given the nature of the vulnerability, organizations must be vigilant in monitoring their NGINX configurations to prevent potential exploitation.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Real-world deployment of affected versions poses a significant risk to organizations, particularly those using NGINX for critical applications. The potential blast radius includes any data processed through the NGINX servers, with the risk of sensitive information being manipulated or exposed.
The urgency assessment, based on the CVSS score and the potential for exploitation, indicates that organizations should address this vulnerability in their priority patch cycle. Failure to do so could result in severe consequences, including data breaches and loss of customer trust.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
Affected products include nginx_gateway_fabric, nginx_ingress_controller, nginx_instance_manager, nginx_open_source, and nginx_plus. Specific vulnerable versions include:
1. nginx_gateway_fabric: 1.2.0 to 1.6.2 and 2.0.0 to 2.4.0 2. nginx_ingress_controller: 3.4.0 to 3.7.2 and 4.0.0 to 4.0.1 3. nginx_instance_manager: 2.15.1 to 2.21.0 4. nginx_open_source: 1.3.0 to 1.28.1 and 1.29.0 to 1.29.4 5. nginx_plus: r33 to r34
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should address the vulnerability by applying the latest patches for the affected NGINX products. For those unable to patch immediately, it is recommended to implement network controls that limit access to upstream TLS servers and monitor logs for unusual activities.
Further, organizations may consider engaging in penetration testing to assess their security posture against this and other vulnerabilities.
Detection Guidance
Organizations should monitor logs for indicators of unusual traffic patterns that may indicate a man-in-the-middle attack. Behavioral anomalies in upstream server responses should be flagged for further investigation.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of this vulnerability lies in its potential to compromise the integrity of data processed through NGINX. Security teams should be vigilant about applying patches and monitoring configurations to mitigate risks.
It represents a trend where network vulnerabilities continue to pose significant risks to organizations as they increasingly rely on third-party services.
Security teams should learn from this incident by implementing robust security measures and regularly testing their defenses against similar vulnerabilities. Strategic defensive takeaways include prioritizing vulnerability management and ensuring timely updates.
For organizations seeking to enhance their security measures, consider exploring application security assessment as part of a comprehensive security strategy.
Additionally, organizations may find value in reviewing their strategies against continuous penetration testing to address evolving threats.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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