Overview
The recent discovery of a severe security vulnerability in Apache DolphinScheduler exposes systems to a potential compromise or data leakage. Identified as CVE-2024-43166, this flaw rests in the incorrect default permissions configuration of DolphinScheduler, a popular open-source distributed ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) scheduler system designed to ease complex scheduling requirements.
This issue affects a wide range of users, including developers, system administrators, and organizations using Apache DolphinScheduler versions prior to 3.2.2. It is of critical significance due to the high risk attached to it, as underscored by its CVSS Severity Score of 9.8. The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized access and potentially severe data breaches if not promptly addressed.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2024-43166
Severity: Critical (CVSS: 9.8)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: System Compromise, Data Leakage
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Product | Affected Versions
Apache DolphinScheduler | Before 3.2.2
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability stems from the incorrect default permissions set in Apache DolphinScheduler. An attacker can exploit this flaw by accessing sensitive data or executing commands that should typically require higher privileges. The absence of required safeguards within these default settings allows a malicious attacker to manipulate the system, leading to potential system compromise and data leakage.
Conceptual Example Code
While the specifics of the exploit code for this vulnerability are not publicly disclosed to prevent misuse, a conceptual illustration of exploiting incorrect permissions might look like this:
# Attacker gains access to the system
ssh attacker@target.system.com
# Navigate to the sensitive directory
cd /path/to/sensitive/directory
# Perform malicious actions such as reading/writing sensitive data
cat sensitivefile.txt
echo 'malicious data' > sensitivefile.txtThis is a rudimentary example illustrating how an attacker could potentially exploit wrongly set permissions. In a real-world scenario, the attack would be more sophisticated and tailored to the specific misconfigurations and vulnerabilities present.
Mitigation Guidance
Users are strongly urged to upgrade to Apache DolphinScheduler version 3.3.1, which includes a fix for this vulnerability. If an immediate upgrade is not feasible, employing a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can serve as temporary mitigation. However, these should not be viewed as long-term solutions, and the patch provided by the vendor should be applied as soon as possible to ensure system security.
