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Hadoop CVE-2023-26031

HIGH
Untrusted Search Path (CWE-426)
2023-11-16 security@apache.org
7.5
CVSS 3.1 · NVD
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Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A08:2025 - Software or Data Integrity Failures
ASVS 5.0
V13 - Configuration Search path verification
Impact

CVSS score of 7.5 (HIGH). Attack characteristics: network attack vector, high complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction not required.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

This vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network. Successful exploitation could compromise the high-severity affected system.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 2.1% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAI

Relative library resolution in linux container-executor binary in Apache Hadoop 3.3.1-3.3.4 on Linux allows local user to gain root privileges. Rated high severity (CVSS 7.5), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable. No vendor patch available.

RemediationAI

No vendor patch is available at time of analysis. Monitor vendor advisories for updates. Apply vendor patches when available. Implement network segmentation and monitoring as interim mitigations.

Affected Packages

maven org.apache.hadoop:hadoop-yarn-project fix: 3.3.5

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 1 package in maven

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-426. Relative library resolution in linux container-executor binary in Apache Hadoop 3.3.1-3.3.4 on Linux allows local user to gain root privileges. If the YARN cluster is accepting work from remote (authenticated) users, this MAY permit remote users to gain root privileges. Hadoop 3.3.0 updated the " YARN Secure Containers https://hadoop.apache.org/docs/stable/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-site/SecureContainer.html " to add a feature for executing user-submitted applications in isolated linux containers. The native binary HADOOP_HOME/bin/container-executor is used to launch these containers; it must be owned by root and have the suid bit set in order for the YARN processes to run the containers as the specific users submitting the jobs. The patch " YARN-10495 https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/YARN-10495 . make the rpath of container-executor configurable" modified the library loading path for loading .so files from "$ORIGIN/" to ""$ORIGIN/:../lib/native/". This is the a path through which libcrypto.so is located. Thus it is is possible for a user with reduced privileges to install a malicious libcrypto library into a path to which they have write access, invoke the container-executor command, and have their modified library executed as root. If the YARN cluster is accepting work from remote (authenticated) users, and these users' submitted job are executed in the physical host, rather than a container, then the CVE permits remote users to gain root privileges. The fix for the vulnerability is to revert the change, which is done in YARN-11441 https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/YARN-11441 , "Revert YARN-10495". This patch is in hadoop-3.3.5. To determine whether a version of container-executor is vulnerable, use the readelf command. If the RUNPATH or RPATH value contains the relative path "./lib/native/" then it is at risk $ readelf -d container-executor|grep 'RUNPATH\|RPATH' 0x000000000000001d (RUNPATH) Library runpath: [$ORIGIN/:../lib/native/] If it does not, then it is safe: $ readelf -d container-executor|grep 'RUNPATH\|RPATH' 0x000000000000001d (RUNPATH) Library runpath: [$ORIGIN/] For an at-risk version of container-executor to enable privilege escalation, the owner must be root and the suid bit must be set $ ls -laF /opt/hadoop/bin/container-executor ---Sr-s---. 1 root hadoop 802968 May 9 20:21 /opt/hadoop/bin/container-executor A safe installation lacks the suid bit; ideally is also not owned by root. $ ls -laF /opt/hadoop/bin/container-executor -rwxr-xr-x. 1 yarn hadoop 802968 May 9 20:21 /opt/hadoop/bin/container-executor This configuration does not support Yarn Secure Containers, but all other hadoop services, including YARN job execution outside secure containers continue to work. Affected products include: Apache Hadoop.

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 7.5 HIGH
AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
High
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

DescriptionNVD

Relative library resolution in linux container-executor binary in Apache Hadoop 3.3.1-3.3.4 on Linux allows local user to gain root privileges. If the YARN cluster is accepting work from remote (authenticated) users, this MAY permit remote users to gain root privileges.

Hadoop 3.3.0 updated the " YARN Secure Containers https://hadoop.apache.org/docs/stable/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-site/SecureContainer.html " to add a feature for executing user-submitted applications in isolated linux containers.

The native binary HADOOP_HOME/bin/container-executor is used to launch these containers; it must be owned by root and have the suid bit set in order for the YARN processes to run the containers as the specific users submitting the jobs.

The patch " YARN-10495 https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/YARN-10495 . make the rpath of container-executor configurable" modified the library loading path for loading .so files from "$ORIGIN/" to ""$ORIGIN/:../lib/native/". This is the a path through which libcrypto.so is located. Thus it is is possible for a user with reduced privileges to install a malicious libcrypto library into a path to which they have write access, invoke the container-executor command, and have their modified library executed as root. If the YARN cluster is accepting work from remote (authenticated) users, and these users' submitted job are executed in the physical host, rather than a container, then the CVE permits remote users to gain root privileges.

The fix for the vulnerability is to revert the change, which is done in YARN-11441 https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/YARN-11441 , "Revert YARN-10495". This patch is in hadoop-3.3.5.

To determine whether a version of container-executor is vulnerable, use the readelf command. If the RUNPATH or RPATH value contains the relative path "./lib/native/" then it is at risk

$ readelf -d container-executor|grep 'RUNPATH\|RPATH' 0x000000000000001d (RUNPATH)           Library runpath: [$ORIGIN/:../lib/native/]

If it does not, then it is safe:

$ readelf -d container-executor|grep 'RUNPATH\|RPATH' 0x000000000000001d (RUNPATH)           Library runpath: [$ORIGIN/]

For an at-risk version of container-executor to enable privilege escalation, the owner must be root and the suid bit must be set

$ ls -laF /opt/hadoop/bin/container-executor ---Sr-s---. 1 root hadoop 802968 May 9 20:21 /opt/hadoop/bin/container-executor

A safe installation lacks the suid bit; ideally is also not owned by root.

$ ls -laF /opt/hadoop/bin/container-executor -rwxr-xr-x. 1 yarn hadoop 802968 May 9 20:21 /opt/hadoop/bin/container-executor

This configuration does not support Yarn Secure Containers, but all other hadoop services, including YARN job execution outside secure containers continue to work.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
2.1%
Top 21% exploitable
Data Quality
2 sources
Confidence: Low

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 2.1%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium

Priority Score

40
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +2
CVSS: +38
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Privilege escalation occurs when an attacker leverages flaws in access control mechanisms to gain permissions beyond what they were originally granted.

Affected Products (CPE)NVD

cpe:2.3:a:apache:hadoop:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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