CVE-2019-14819 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

An issue was discovered in OpenShift Container Platform 3.x that could allow an unprivileged user to elevate their privileges through a vulnerability in CRI-O.

Understanding CVE-2019-14819

This CVE involves a privilege escalation vulnerability in OpenShift Container Platform 3.x when upgrading an existing cluster.

What is CVE-2019-14819?

The vulnerability allows an unprivileged user to escalate their privileges to the level permitted by the privileged Security Context Constraints during an upgrade process.

The Impact of CVE-2019-14819

CVSS Base Score: 7.5 (High)
Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: High
Privileges Required: Low
Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability Impact: High

Technical Details of CVE-2019-14819

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The dockergc service account in CRI-O is linked to the user's namespace during an upgrade, enabling privilege escalation.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Product: openshift-ansible
Vendor: Red Hat
Affected Version: 3.x

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by an unprivileged user during the upgrade process to gain elevated privileges.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2019-14819 with the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade to a patched version of openshift-ansible.
Monitor and restrict user privileges to minimize the risk of exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch your OpenShift Container Platform to address security vulnerabilities.
Implement least privilege access controls to limit user capabilities.
Conduct security audits and assessments to identify and mitigate potential risks.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches and updates provided by Red Hat to address CVE-2019-14819.