CVE-2025-27616

Okay, here’s a remediation/mitigation strategy based on the provided vulnerability information, formatted in Markdown:

Vulnerability Remediation/Mitigation Strategy: CVE-2025-27616 (Vela Repository Ownership Transfer)

1. Vulnerability Description:

• Vulnerability: Repository Ownership Transfer and Secrets Exfiltration
• Affected Software: Vela (Pipeline Automation/CI/CD framework)
• Versions Affected: Versions prior to 0.25.3 and 0.26.3
• Description: By crafting a malicious webhook payload with specific headers and body data, an attacker can spoof a webhook event, allowing them to transfer ownership of a repository and its associated repository-level secrets to a repository controlled by the attacker. Once the ownership is transferred, the attacker can exfiltrate these secrets through subsequent builds in the attacker-controlled repository.

2. Severity Assessment:

• Severity: High
• CVSS Score: 8.5 (Based on the provided information)
• Impact:
  • Confidentiality: High - Repo-level secrets (credentials, API keys, etc.) can be exposed.
  • Integrity: High - The attacker gains control of the repository and can modify its contents.
  • Availability: Low - While availability isn’t directly compromised, the attacker could potentially introduce malicious code that disrupts the application.
• Rationale: The ability to steal repository secrets and gain control of the repository is a critical security risk, potentially leading to data breaches, code compromise, and supply chain attacks.

3. Known Exploitation:

• Exploitation Status: Exploitable, meaning it’s known that the vulnerability can be triggered.
• Attack Vector: Webhook spoofing. An attacker leverages their access to the CI instance and source control manager to manipulate webhook payloads.
• Prerequisites:
  • Access to the CI instance where Vela is running.
  • Access to the linked Source Control Management (SCM) system (e.g., GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket).
  • An enabled repository with access to repository-level CI secrets in Vela.

4. Remediation Strategy:

• Immediate Action:
  • Upgrade Vela: The most critical step is to upgrade Vela to version 0.25.3 or 0.26.3 or later. These versions contain the fix for CVE-2025-27616. #Example command to upgrade (replace with appropriate command for your installation) #Assuming using Docker: docker pull target/vela-server:0.26.3 docker pull target/vela-worker:0.26.3 docker-compose down docker-compose up -d
    • Verification:
  • After upgrading, verify the Vela version. #Check version via the CLI (if applicable) or the web interface. vela version * Monitor logs for any suspicious webhook activity or unauthorized repository changes.
• Long-Term Security Measures:
  • Webhook Security: Implement robust webhook validation mechanisms in Vela (if not already present) to prevent spoofing. This may include:
    • Secret Tokens: Use a shared secret between the SCM and Vela to verify the authenticity of webhook requests. The SCM should send a hash of the payload and the secret token in a header (e.g., X-Hub-Signature), which Vela can then verify.
    • IP Address Whitelisting: Restrict webhook requests to originate only from trusted IP addresses associated with the SCM.
    • Payload Validation: Strictly validate the contents of webhook payloads to ensure they conform to the expected format and schema.
  • Least Privilege: Review and enforce the principle of least privilege for all Vela users and service accounts. Grant only the minimum necessary permissions required to perform their tasks.
  • Monitoring and Logging: Implement comprehensive monitoring and logging of Vela activity, including webhook requests, repository access, and secret usage. Set up alerts for any suspicious or anomalous behavior.
  • Regular Security Audits: Conduct periodic security audits of the Vela deployment and related infrastructure to identify and address any potential vulnerabilities or misconfigurations.
  • Keep Software Up-to-Date: Regularly update Vela and other components of the CI/CD pipeline to the latest versions to benefit from security patches and improvements.

5. Mitigation Strategy (if Upgrade is Delayed):

• If an immediate upgrade is not possible, implement the following mitigations with the understanding that they may not be fully effective:
  • Review Webhook Configurations: Carefully review all webhook configurations in the SCM and Vela to ensure they are properly secured.
  • Restrict Network Access: Limit network access to the Vela server and related components to only authorized sources.
  • Monitor for Suspicious Activity: Actively monitor logs for any unusual webhook activity, unauthorized repository changes, or secret access attempts. Be prepared to take immediate action if any suspicious activity is detected.
  • Disable Webhooks (Temporary): As a last resort, consider temporarily disabling webhooks until an upgrade can be performed. This will prevent new builds from being triggered automatically, but it will also prevent the vulnerability from being exploited via webhook spoofing.

6. Communication Plan:

• Internal Communication: Communicate the vulnerability and the remediation plan to all relevant stakeholders, including developers, security teams, and system administrators.
• External Communication (if applicable): If customer data or systems may have been affected, consider notifying affected customers about the vulnerability and the steps they should take to protect themselves.

7. Post-Remediation Steps:

• Vulnerability Scanning: After applying the fix, perform vulnerability scanning to ensure that the vulnerability has been successfully remediated and that no other vulnerabilities are present.
• Penetration Testing: Consider conducting penetration testing to validate the effectiveness of the remediation measures and identify any potential weaknesses in the security posture.
• Incident Response Plan: Review and update the incident response plan to ensure that it includes procedures for handling similar security incidents in the future.

This strategy provides a comprehensive approach to addressing the CVE-2025-27616 vulnerability in Vela. Remember to adapt the steps to your specific environment and needs. Prioritize upgrading Vela to a patched version as the most effective and permanent solution.

Assigner

• GitHub, Inc. [email protected]

Date

• Published Date: 2025-03-10 19:15:41
• Updated Date: 2025-03-10 19:15:41

More Details

CVE-2025-27616