CVE-2014-4615

What it actually does

Remote authenticated users can read X_AUTH_TOKEN values from the message queue via the v2/meters/http.request endpoint due to insufficient protection in the notifier middleware.

Why it matters to the business

Compromised authentication tokens enable unauthorized access to cloud infrastructure resources, increasing risk of data exposure or service disruption in OpenStack environments.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with valid credentials triggers HTTP requests that cause token values to be logged to the message queue, then reads the queue contents to extract usable X_AUTH_TOKEN values for further access.

How to fix it

Upgrade affected OpenStack components (PyCADF, Ceilometer, Neutron, Oslo) to patched releases beyond the vulnerable versions listed in the advisory; restrict message queue access to authorized services only.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify component versions against advisory fixed releases, audit message queue permissions, and confirm that token logging no longer occurs on the specified endpoint.

Typical attack path

1. Obtain valid authentication to an affected OpenStack component
2. Issue requests that generate entries on v2/meters/http.request
3. Access and parse the message queue to retrieve exposed tokens
4. Use captured tokens to impersonate users or services

How to detect it

Review message queue access logs and audit trails for reads of v2/meters/http.request entries by unexpected accounts; search historical logs for token strings appearing outside normal authentication flows.

• v2/meters/http.request
• X_AUTH_TOKEN

What your security team should do

• Prioritize upgrades for any remaining vulnerable OpenStack deployments despite age of the issue
• Implement least-privilege access controls on the message queue
• Monitor for unusual queue access patterns as a compensating control