CVE-2023-24827 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This article provides detailed information about CVE-2023-24827, highlighting the impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies associated with this vulnerability.

Understanding CVE-2023-24827

CVE-2023-24827 involves a credential disclosure vulnerability in syft when the SYFT_ATTEST_PASSWORD environment variable is set in the application. This issue can lead to the exposure of sensitive information to unauthorized actors and could potentially compromise the confidentiality of user credentials.

What is CVE-2023-24827?

The vulnerability in syft versions v0.69.0 and v0.69.1 allows for the leakage of passwords stored in the SYFT_ATTEST_PASSWORD environment variable. This variable is used during the attestation process to generate Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) for container images, ultimately leading to the exposure of credentials.

The Impact of CVE-2023-24827

The impact of this vulnerability is categorized as medium severity with high confidentiality impact. Users running syft with the affected versions and the SYFT_ATTEST_PASSWORD environment variable set are at risk of credential exposure, particularly when using debug log levels or generating attestations in the syft-json format.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-24827

This section delves into the specifics of the vulnerability, including the description, affected systems, versions, and exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The password disclosure flaw in syft leaks credentials stored in the SYFT_ATTEST_PASSWORD environment variable, primarily through debug logs and attestation payloads. This can result in unauthorized access to sensitive information, posing a security risk to users.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects users running syft versions between 0.69.0 and 0.69.1 with the SYFT_ATTEST_PASSWORD environment variable set. Specifically, versions greater than or equal to 0.69.0 and less than 0.70.0 are impacted by this issue.

Exploitation Mechanism

The exploitation of CVE-2023-24827 involves leveraging the password disclosure flaw in syft to access and extract sensitive credentials stored in the environment variable. This can be achieved through debug log levels or generating attestations in specific formats that expose the information.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2023-24827 and enhance security measures, it is crucial to implement immediate steps, long-term security practices, and apply necessary patches and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are strongly advised to upgrade to the patched version of syft (v0.70.0) to mitigate the vulnerability. Additionally, it is recommended to refrain from using the SYFT_ATTEST_PASSWORD environment variable until the system is updated to the secure version.

Long-Term Security Practices

In the long run, users should adopt best security practices, such as limiting access to sensitive information, avoiding debug log levels in production environments, and regularly monitoring and updating security configurations to prevent similar vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

The issue has been resolved in commit

9995950c70

and released as version 0.70.0 of syft. Users are advised to apply the necessary patches and updates promptly to safeguard their systems from potential credential exposure and security risks.