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Apache Pulsar SASL Authentication Provider observable timing discrepancy vulnerability

High severity GitHub Reviewed Published Feb 7, 2024 to the GitHub Advisory Database • Updated Jul 22, 2024

Package

maven org.apache.pulsar:pulsar-broker-auth-sasl (Maven)

Affected versions

< 2.11.3
>= 3.0.0, < 3.0.2
>= 3.1.0, < 3.1.1

Patched versions

2.11.3
3.0.2
3.1.1

Description

Observable timing discrepancy vulnerability in Apache Pulsar SASL Authentication Provider can allow an attacker to forge a SASL Role Token that will pass signature verification.
Users are recommended to upgrade to version 2.11.3, 3.0.2, or 3.1.1 which fixes the issue. Users should also consider updating the configured secret in the saslJaasServerRoleTokenSignerSecretPath file.

Any component matching an above version running the SASL Authentication Provider is affected. That includes the Pulsar Broker, Proxy, Websocket Proxy, or Function Worker.

2.11 Pulsar users should upgrade to at least 2.11.3.
3.0 Pulsar users should upgrade to at least 3.0.2.
3.1 Pulsar users should upgrade to at least 3.1.1.
Any users running Pulsar 2.8, 2.9, 2.10, and earlier should upgrade to one of the above patched versions.

For additional details on this attack vector, please refer to https://codahale.com/a-lesson-in-timing-attacks/ .

References

Published by the National Vulnerability Database Feb 7, 2024
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Feb 7, 2024
Reviewed Feb 7, 2024
Last updated Jul 22, 2024

Severity

High

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
High
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
None

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

EPSS score

0.079%
(35th percentile)

CVE ID

CVE-2023-51437

GHSA ID

GHSA-c57v-4vg5-cm2x

Source code

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