Apache Superset: vulnerability flaw under attack

What is affected

Apache Superset is mostly run by companies, schools and public bodies, not on home computers. You are unlikely to have it yourself, but organisations that hold your data may. Breaches that start with flaws like this one are how personal data ends up leaked.

Apache Superset contains an insecure default initialization of a resource vulnerability that allows an attacker to authenticate and access unauthorized resources on installations that have not altered the default configured SECRET_KEY according to installation instructions.

What an attacker can do

This is a vulnerability flaw. It lets an attacker misuse the product in a way its maker did not intend. CISA lists it because attackers are confirmed to be using it against real systems.

How it is reached

Over the internet or network

Access the attacker needs

No account needed

Does the victim have to do something?

No, works without the victim doing anything

What to do

1. At home: nothing to install. Keep your own devices updated and use a different password for every service, so that a breach at one organisation does not open your other accounts.
2. If you administer Apache Superset at work: apply the vendor's fix or mitigation now and review logs for signs of compromise, because the flaw was being exploited before it was listed.
3. If the product is past its support date and no fix exists, take it off the internet or retire it.

Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

Vendor advisories and fixes

• lists.apache.orglists.apache.org/thread/n0ftx60sllf527j7g11kmt24wvof8xyk

How urgent is it

CISA added this vulnerability to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on January 8, 2024, which means there is reliable evidence of attacks in the wild. US federal agencies must fix it by January 29, 2024, a deadline that has already passed. That deadline does not bind anyone else, but it shows how seriously the agency rates it.

The EPSS model estimates a 97% probability that this flaw will be exploited somewhere in the next 30 days. That is higher than 99.9% of all scored vulnerabilities.

Its CVSS severity score is 9.8 out of 10 (critical), as recorded in the US National Vulnerability Database.

Technical description

Session Validation attacks in Apache Superset versions up to and including 2.0.1. Installations that have not altered the default configured SECRET_KEY according to installation instructions allow for an attacker to authenticate and access unauthorized resources. This does not affect Superset administrators who have changed the default value for SECRET_KEY config. All superset installations should always set a unique secure random SECRET_KEY. Your SECRET_KEY is used to securely sign all session cookies and encrypting sensitive information on the database. Add a strong SECRET_KEY to your `superset_config.py` file like: SECRET_KEY = <YOUR_OWN_RANDOM_GENERATED_SECRET_KEY> Alternatively you can set it with `SUPERSET_SECRET_KEY` environment variable.