A recently discovered security vulnerability, identified as CVE-2023-39264, has been found to affect Apache Superset, the popular open-source Business Intelligence and Data Visualization web application. The vulnerability results from stack traces being enabled by default for errors, which in turn exposes internal traces to users through REST API endpoints.

This post aims to provide an in-depth overview of the vulnerability, including a sample code snippet, links to original references, and an explanation of the exploit details. We will discuss how the flaw affects Superset versions up to and including 2.1., and clarify ways in which developers and administrators can remediate the issue.

Vulnerability Details

By default, the Apache Superset configuration enables stack traces for errors. As a result, when errors occur within the application, the REST API endpoints reveal the stack trace, potentially exposing sensitive information and internal application details to unauthorized users. This vulnerability could allow an attacker to gain knowledge about the underlying architecture, file paths, and libraries in use, potentially leading to further compromise of the system.

Affected Software

Apache Superset versions up to and including 2.1. are affected by this vulnerability.

Exploit Details

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted requests to the REST API, in order to trigger errors and receive stack trace information. The following is a sample code snippet showcasing how a REST API error results in a stack trace disclosure:

from flask import Flask, jsonify
from flask_restful import abort, Api, Resource

app = Flask(__name__)
api = Api(app)

class Information(Resource):
    def get(self, info_id):
        try:
            data = fetch_information(info_id)
        except Exception as e:
            # Vulnerable: Stack trace exposure
            abort(500, message="An error occurred", trace=str(e))

api.add_resource(Information, "/api/information/<int:info_id>")

In the example above, an exception is caught and subsequently returned as part of the error response to the client. This exposes the stack trace, which could potentially leak sensitive information.

To mitigate this vulnerability, administrators should take the following steps

1. Disable stack traces for errors in the Apache Superset configuration file by setting the SHOW_STACKTRACE configuration option to False.

# In superset_config.py
SHOW_STACKTRACE = False

2. Ensure proper error handling is in place, by returning only generic error messages instead of a full stack trace.

from werkzeug.exceptions import HTTPException

class CustomHTTPException(HTTPException):
    def get_body(self, environ=None):
        return "An error occurred. Please contact the administrator for assistance."

class CustomFlask(Flask):
    def handle_http_exception(self, e):
        return CustomHTTPException(e)

app = CustomFlask(__name__)

References

- Apache Superset Official Website: https://superset.apache.org/
- Superset GitHub Repository: https://github.com/apache/superset
- CVE Details: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2023-39264

Conclusion

CVE-2023-39264 is a serious information disclosure vulnerability affecting Apache Superset versions up to and including 2.1.. It is crucial that developers and administrators take steps to remediate the issue by disabling stack traces for errors, implementing proper error handling, and updating to a secure version of the software. By addressing this vulnerability, you can help protect sensitive data and minimize potential risks to your organization.

Stay informed about the latest vulnerabilities and keep your systems up-to-date to ensure your applications remain secure.

Timeline

Published on: 09/06/2023 13:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 09/11/2023 14:28:00 UTC