SaltStack Salt: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
CVE-2022-22941 is a high-severity incorrect permission assignment for critical resource vulnerability in SaltStack Salt, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected SaltStack Salt versions: SaltStack Salt prior to 3002.8, 3003.4, 3004.1. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.33% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 72% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Salt to 3002.8 or 3003.4 or 3004.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| SaltStack Salt | SaltStack Salt | SaltStack Salt prior to 3002.8, 3003.4, 3004.1 | Not stated |
| Saltstack | Salt | 3002 up to, but not including, 3002.8; 3003 up to, but not including, 3003.4; 3004 up to, but not including, 3004.1 | 3002.8, 3003.4, 3004.1 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.8 | High | NVD |
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.8 | High | CISA (ADP) |
| CVSS 2.0 | 6.0 | Medium | NVD |
Official description
An issue was discovered in SaltStack Salt in versions before 3002.8, 3003.4, 3004.1. When configured as a Master-of-Masters, with a publisher_acl, if a user configured in the publisher_acl targets any minion connected to the Syndic, the Salt Master incorrectly interpreted no valid targets as valid, allowing configured users to target any of the minions connected to the syndic with their configured commands. This requires a syndic master combined with publisher_acl configured on the Master-of-Masters, allowing users specified in the publisher_acl to bypass permissions, publishing authorized commands to any configured minion.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
The product specifies permissions for a security-critical resource in a way that allows that resource to be read or modified by unintended actors.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- When using a critical resource such as a configuration file, check to see if the resource has insecure permissions (such as being modifiable by any regular user), and generate an error or even exit the software if there is a possibility that the resource could have been modified by an unauthorized party.
- Divide the software into anonymous, normal, privileged, and administrative areas. Reduce the attack surface by carefully defining distinct user groups, privileges, and/or roles. Map these against data, functionality, and the related resources. Then set the permissions accordingly. This will allow you to maintain more fine-grained control over your resources.
- During program startup, explicitly set the default permissions or umask to the most restrictive setting possible. Also set the appropriate permissions during program installation. This will prevent you from inheriting insecure permissions from any user who installs or runs the program.
More Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource vulnerabilities (CWE-732)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Third-party and government advisories
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/202310-22Third Party Advisory
Other references
- repo.saltproject.io/Product
Other vulnerabilities in SaltStack Salt
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
Recent Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.6 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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