CVE-2024-5651
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote code execution in the Fence Agents Remediation operator by injecting arbitrary commands into --ssh-path/--telnet-path arguments. A low-privilege user (like a developer) can exploit this to execute commands on the operator's pod, leading to privilege escalation to cluster-admin level. Organizations using affected versions of OpenShift with the Fence Agents Remediation operator are at risk.
💻 Affected Systems
- Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full cluster compromise with attacker gaining cluster-admin privileges, allowing complete control over all Kubernetes resources, data exfiltration, and persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Privilege escalation from low-privilege user to cluster-admin, enabling unauthorized access to sensitive cluster resources and potential data breach.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper RBAC controls restrict low-privilege users from creating FenceAgentsRemediation objects and network policies isolate the operator.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated access to the Kubernetes API with permissions to create FenceAgentsRemediation objects. The vulnerability is straightforward to exploit once access is obtained.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: OpenShift 4.15.0-202406241547.p0.gb7c1c8e.assembly.stream or later
Vendor Advisory: https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:5453
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update OpenShift to version 4.15.0-202406241547.p0.gb7c1c8e.assembly.stream or later. 2. Update the Fence Agents Remediation operator. 3. Restart affected pods. 4. Verify the fix is applied.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict FenceAgentsRemediation Creation
linuxUse Kubernetes RBAC to restrict low-privilege users from creating FenceAgentsRemediation objects.
kubectl create clusterrole deny-fenceagentsremediation --verb=create --resource=fenceagentsremediations
kubectl create clusterrolebinding deny-fenceagentsremediation --clusterrole=deny-fenceagentsremediation --group=developers
Remove Fence Agents Remediation Operator
linuxIf not required, uninstall the Fence Agents Remediation operator entirely.
oc delete subscription fence-agents-remediation-operator -n openshift-operators
oc delete csv fence-agents-remediation-operator.v1.0.0 -n openshift-operators
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict RBAC controls to prevent low-privilege users from creating FenceAgentsRemediation objects.
- Isolate the Fence Agents Remediation operator pod using network policies to limit its network access.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if running OpenShift version earlier than 4.15.0-202406241547.p0.gb7c1c8e.assembly.stream and if the Fence Agents Remediation operator is installed.Check Version:
oc versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify OpenShift version is 4.15.0-202406241547.p0.gb7c1c8e.assembly.stream or later and check operator status shows no vulnerabilities.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual FenceAgentsRemediation object creation events
- Suspicious commands executed in operator pods
- Privilege escalation attempts in audit logs
Network Indicators:
- Unexpected outbound connections from operator pods
- Network traffic to suspicious external IPs from operator namespace
SIEM Query:
index=kubernetes (resource="fenceagentsremediations" AND verb="create") OR (pod_name="*fence-agents-remediation*" AND cmd="*sh*" OR cmd="*curl*" OR cmd="*wget*")