User privilege escalation in MinIO
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Privilege escalation, Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 1 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-269 and CWE-863.
Summary
MinIO is a Kubernetes native application for cloud storage. Prior to version `RELEASE.2021-12-27T07-23-18Z`, a malicious client can hand-craft an HTTP API call that allows for updating policy for a user and gaining higher privileges. The patch in version `RELEASE.2021-12-27T07-23-18Z` changes the accepted request body type and removes the ability to apply policy changes through this API. There is a workaround for this vulnerability: Changing passwords can be disabled by adding an explicit `Deny` rule to disable the API for users.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
Red Hat 2 advisories
- RHSA-2022:4956 Released 2022-06-09 · Red Hat rating ImportantRed Hat Advanced Cluster Management 2.5 security updates, images, and bug fixes
- Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes 2.5 for RHEL 8 rhacm2/acm-cluster-proxy-rhel8, rhacm2/acm-governance-policy-addon-controller-rhel8, rhacm2/acm-grafana-rhel8 +47
- RHSA-2022:0735 Released 2022-03-03 · Red Hat rating ImportantRed Hat Advanced Cluster Management 2.4.2 security updates and bug fixes
- Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes 2.4 for RHEL 8 rhacm2/acm-grafana-rhel8, rhacm2/acm-must-gather-rhel8, rhacm2/acm-operator-bundle +47
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes 2 | Affected | No fix yet |
Not affected: 1 product
- Red Hat Advanced Cluster Management for Kubernetes 2
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2021-43858
References
Patch 4
More Minio vulnerabilities
- TI-2023-12978 MinIO is vulnerable to privilege escalation on Linux/MacOS KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2023-12976 Minio Information Disclosure in Cluster Deployment KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2023-11082 Allowed DELETE on resources on object locked buckets under Governance mode in Minio CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2024-16264 MinIO unsafe default: Access keys inherit `admin` of root user, allowing privilege escalation CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-08654 Improper Privilege Management in MinIO CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-13073 Possible DDOS by establishing keep-alive connections with anonymous HTTP clients in MinIO CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
Sources
- CVE-2021-43858 · CVE Program
- CVE-2021-43858 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- CVE-2021-43858 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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