CVE-2024-7319 is a vulnerability identified in the OpenStack Heat component, which is responsible for orchestration of cloud infrastructure resources. This vulnerability stems from an incomplete remediation of a prior issue, CVE-2023-1625. Specifically, when the 'stack abandon' command is executed with the 'hidden' feature enabled (set to True), sensitive information may be inadvertently exposed to unauthorized actors. The vulnerability allows an attacker with network access and low privileges (PR:L) to gain access to confidential data without requiring user interaction. The scope is classified as 'changed' (S:C), indicating that the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially intended scope, potentially impacting multiple tenants or stacks. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.0 (medium), reflecting a moderate risk primarily due to confidentiality impact (C:L), with no impact on integrity or availability. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and no official patches have been linked yet, although the issue has been publicly disclosed. The vulnerability highlights the risk of incomplete fixes in complex cloud orchestration environments, where subtle misconfigurations or overlooked code paths can lead to data leaks. OpenStack Heat users should be aware that the 'stack abandon' command, which is used to abandon a stack without deleting its resources, could be exploited to leak sensitive stack information if the hidden flag is misused or improperly handled.

For European organizations, the exposure of sensitive information through OpenStack Heat could lead to unauthorized disclosure of cloud infrastructure details, potentially revealing configuration secrets, credentials, or other confidential data. This can facilitate further attacks such as privilege escalation, lateral movement, or targeted exploitation of cloud resources. Organizations relying on OpenStack for private or public cloud deployments, especially those handling sensitive or regulated data, may face compliance risks under GDPR if personal or sensitive data is exposed. The medium severity indicates that while the vulnerability is not immediately critical, it poses a tangible risk to confidentiality that could undermine trust and operational security. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk but also means organizations should proactively address the issue before attackers develop exploits. The vulnerability's exploitation requires low privileges but network access, so internal threat actors or compromised accounts could leverage this flaw. The impact is more pronounced in multi-tenant environments common in European cloud providers, where cross-tenant data leakage is a significant concern.

1. Restrict access to the OpenStack Heat 'stack abandon' command, especially with the 'hidden' feature enabled, to trusted administrators only. 2. Implement strict role-based access control (RBAC) policies to limit who can execute potentially sensitive orchestration commands. 3. Monitor OpenStack Heat logs for unusual or unauthorized usage of the 'stack abandon' command. 4. Conduct a thorough audit of current OpenStack Heat configurations to identify any use of the 'hidden' flag with stack abandon and assess exposure risk. 5. Stay updated with OpenStack vendor advisories and apply patches or updates promptly once available. 6. Consider network segmentation to limit access to the OpenStack Heat API endpoints to reduce exposure to untrusted networks. 7. Employ additional encryption and secret management best practices to minimize the impact of any potential data exposure. 8. Engage in vulnerability scanning and penetration testing focused on cloud orchestration components to detect similar issues proactively.