WarehousePG (WHPG) 6.27.1 through 6.27.6 and 7.2.1 through 7.6.0 are affected by a missing authorization vulnerability (CWE-862) in gp_add_coordinator_standby(). The function is named gp_add_master_standby() in WHPG 6, and WHPG 7 keeps that name as an alias. Unlike the other segment add and remove functions, it does not require superuser privileges. A low-privileged user who can open a utility-mode connection can use it to add a fake standby coordinator entry to gp_segment_configuration on a cluster that has no standby configured. Administrators then cannot add a real standby until a superuser removes the fake entry. User data is not exposed or modified.
Weakness
The product does not perform an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action.
Potential Mitigations
- Divide the product into anonymous, normal, privileged, and administrative areas. Reduce the attack surface by carefully mapping roles with data and functionality. Use role-based access control (RBAC) [REF-229] to enforce the roles at the appropriate boundaries.
- Note that this approach may not protect against horizontal authorization, i.e., it will not protect a user from attacking others with the same role.
- Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid.
- For example, consider using authorization frameworks such as the JAAS Authorization Framework [REF-233] and the OWASP ESAPI Access Control feature [REF-45].
- For web applications, make sure that the access control mechanism is enforced correctly at the server side on every page. Users should not be able to access any unauthorized functionality or information by simply requesting direct access to that page.
- One way to do this is to ensure that all pages containing sensitive information are not cached, and that all such pages restrict access to requests that are accompanied by an active and authenticated session token associated with a user who has the required permissions to access that page.