CVE-2017-8446 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

CVE-2017-8446, related to Elastic X-Pack Reporting, exposes a vulnerability that allows unauthorized access to sensitive data.

Understanding CVE-2017-8446

What is CVE-2017-8446?

Versions prior to 5.5.2 of X-Pack and standalone Reporting plugin versions before 2.4.6 have a vulnerability in the Reporting feature. This flaw enables a user with the reporting_user role to create a report using another reporting user's permissions, potentially leading to data exposure.

The Impact of CVE-2017-8446

The vulnerability in CVE-2017-8446 allows unauthorized users to access sensitive data by exploiting the impersonation vulnerability in the Reporting feature.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-8446

Vulnerability Description

The Reporting feature in X-Pack versions before 5.5.2 and standalone Reporting plugin versions before 2.4.6 contains an impersonation vulnerability, enabling users with the reporting_user role to execute reports using other users' permissions.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Elastic X-Pack Reporting
Vendor: Elastic
Vulnerable Versions: Before 5.5.2 and 2.4.6

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability allows a user with the reporting_user role to create reports using the permissions of another reporting user, potentially accessing sensitive data.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade X-Pack Reporting to version 5.5.2 or higher.
Update standalone Reporting plugin to version 2.4.6 or above.
Restrict access to reporting features to authorized users only.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and update user roles and permissions.
Conduct security audits to identify and address vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches and updates provided by Elastic to address the CVE-2017-8446 vulnerability.