CVE-2024-12582 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting the skupper console, a read-only interface used to visualize cluster network traffic and metrics in hybrid multi-cloud environments. The vulnerability arises from the default authentication mechanism, which generates a random password for the 'admin' user and stores it insecurely either in a Kubernetes secret or a podman volume as plaintext. This weak authentication setup can be exploited by an attacker with limited privileges (PR:L) to bypass authentication controls. Specifically, the attacker can manipulate the system to read any user-readable file within the container filesystem, thereby compromising data confidentiality. Furthermore, the attacker can cause the skupper console to load extremely large files into memory, leading to resource exhaustion and denial of service (DoS). The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 score of 7.1, reflecting its high impact primarily on availability and confidentiality, with no user interaction required and network attack vector. The flaw affects version 0 of the product, indicating early or initial releases are vulnerable. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability's nature and ease of exploitation make it a significant risk for environments using skupper console with default authentication settings. The vulnerability does not impact data integrity but poses a serious threat to confidentiality and availability, especially in multi-cloud deployments where sensitive network data and metrics are exposed.

For European organizations leveraging hybrid multi-cloud infrastructures and using skupper console for network visualization, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive configuration files, credentials, or other confidential data stored within container filesystems. The ability to read arbitrary files undermines data confidentiality, potentially exposing internal network topologies and operational metrics to attackers. Additionally, the induced denial of service via resource exhaustion could disrupt critical monitoring and network management functions, impacting operational continuity. This is particularly concerning for sectors with stringent data protection requirements such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure in Europe. The vulnerability could also facilitate lateral movement or further exploitation if attackers gain insights into the environment through exposed files. Given the network attack vector and lack of user interaction requirement, exploitation could be automated and widespread if the vulnerable configurations are accessible externally or within compromised internal networks.

European organizations should immediately audit their skupper console deployments to identify usage of the default authentication method. They should replace the default authentication with stronger, custom authentication mechanisms that do not rely on plaintext password storage. Secrets should be stored securely using Kubernetes best practices, such as encryption at rest and strict access controls. Implement network segmentation and restrict access to the skupper console interface to trusted administrative networks only. Monitor container filesystem access logs for unusual read patterns indicative of exploitation attempts. Apply rate limiting or resource usage caps on the skupper console to mitigate potential denial of service attacks caused by large file reads. Organizations should also track vendor updates and apply patches promptly once available. If possible, deploy runtime security tools that can detect anomalous container behavior related to file access and memory consumption. Finally, conduct regular security assessments of multi-cloud configurations to ensure no default or weak authentication methods remain in use.