CVE-2024-3624 is a vulnerability identified in the Quay container registry's mirror-registry component, specifically related to the storage of database credentials. The flaw arises because the database password is stored in plaintext within the jinja templating system's config.yaml file. This configuration file, if accessed by a malicious actor, reveals the database password directly, allowing unauthorized access to the Quay database. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.3, indicating high severity. The attack vector is adjacent network (AV:A), requiring low privileges (PR:L) but no user interaction (UI:N). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact on confidentiality and integrity is high (C:H/I:H), while availability is unaffected (A:N). This means an attacker with some level of access to the system or network segment hosting the mirror-registry can exploit this flaw to compromise the database's confidentiality and integrity, potentially leading to data leakage or unauthorized modifications. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the vulnerability's nature makes it a significant risk if the config.yaml file is not properly secured. The vulnerability was published on April 25, 2024, and assigned by Red Hat. No patches or fixes are explicitly mentioned in the provided data, suggesting that mitigation may rely on configuration changes or forthcoming updates from the vendor. The flaw highlights the risk of improper secrets management and the need for encrypting sensitive credentials in configuration files or using dedicated secrets management solutions.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk especially for those using Quay as part of their container image management and deployment pipelines. Unauthorized access to the Quay database can lead to exposure of container images, metadata, and potentially sensitive organizational data stored within the registry. This can facilitate further attacks such as supply chain compromises or intellectual property theft. The impact is particularly critical for sectors with stringent data protection requirements like finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure. Additionally, organizations with distributed or cloud-based deployments may face increased risk if access controls on configuration files are lax. The confidentiality and integrity breach could also lead to compliance violations under GDPR if personal or sensitive data is exposed. While availability is not directly impacted, the loss of trust and potential operational disruptions from a compromised container registry can be substantial. The vulnerability's requirement for some level of access means internal threat actors or attackers who have gained initial footholds could exploit it to escalate privileges or move laterally within networks.

European organizations should immediately audit access permissions on the mirror-registry's config.yaml file to ensure only authorized administrators can read it. Implement strict file system access controls and consider using filesystem encryption to protect sensitive configuration files. Where possible, replace plaintext password storage with encrypted secrets management solutions such as HashiCorp Vault, Kubernetes Secrets with encryption at rest, or cloud provider secret stores. Monitor access logs for unusual access patterns to configuration files. Apply any vendor patches or updates as soon as they become available from Quay or Red Hat. Additionally, review and harden network segmentation to limit access to the mirror-registry component, reducing the attack surface. Conduct regular security assessments and penetration tests focusing on secrets management and configuration file exposure. Finally, integrate secrets scanning tools into CI/CD pipelines to detect plaintext credentials before deployment.