CVE-2021-31921

Istio before 1.8.6 and 1.9.x before 1.9.5 contains a remotely exploitable vulnerability where an external client can access unexpected services in the cluster…

published June 2, 2021

CVSS
—
EPSS
1%
Percentile
73.2
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

🚨 A sneaky configuration flaw in Istio could let external clients wander into the wrong services — think of it as leaving the back door to your server wide open! 🔥 It's like securing a restaurant's front entrance but forgetting to check that the kitchen door is locked — anyone can just saunter right in and access the chef's secret recipes! An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to access unexpected services in the cluster, bypassing all those carefully designed authorization checks. This could lead to unauthorized data exposure, potentially revealing sensitive information or even compromising the entire environment!

Put simply

It's like securing a restaurant's front entrance but forgetting to check that the kitchen door is locked — anyone can just saunter right in and access the chef's secret recipes! This issue arises when an Istio gateway is configured with AUTO_PASSTHROUGH routing, allowing unauthorized access to backend services by malicious external clients without proper validation.

What to do

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to access unexpected services in the cluster, bypassing all those carefully designed authorization checks. This could lead to unauthorized data exposure, potentially revealing sensitive information or even compromising the entire environment! Upgrade Istio to version 1.8.6 or 1.9.5 or later to address this vulnerability. Additionally, review your routing configurations to ensure that only authorized clients can access the services within your cluster. You've got this! By taking these steps, you'll be reinforcing your defenses and keeping your services secure. 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS
Not scored
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.01454 · 73.2th percentile
Published
2021-06-02T15:36Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 02 JUN 15:36Z
    Istio before 1.8.6 and 1.9.x before 1.9.5 contains a remotely exploitable vulnerability where an external client can access unexpected services in the cluster…
    cvelistv5