Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This flaw affects Red Hat OpenStack environments using python-novajoin before 1.1.1. The novajoin API did not enforce access controls strongly enough, so a Keystone-authenticated user could generate FreeIPA tokens. That can threaten identity infrastructure confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Executive priority
Treat as high priority where Red Hat OpenStack uses novajoin, because the flaw crosses OpenStack authentication into FreeIPA token generation. Prioritize internet- or tenant-accessible environments first.
Technical view
CVE-2019-10138 is a CWE-284 improper access control issue in python-novajoin. Affected versions are all releases before 1.1.1. The issue is network reachable but requires low privileges, high attack complexity, and user interaction according to the CVSS 3.0 vector.
Likely exposure
Exposure appears limited to Red Hat OpenStack Platform deployments using the python-novajoin plugin before version 1.1.1, especially where untrusted or broadly provisioned Keystone-authenticated users exist.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not indicate known active exploitation, and KEV status is false. The stated impact is serious because successful abuse could let an authenticated Keystone user generate FreeIPA tokens.
Researcher notes
Evidence is concise but consistent: affected product, version boundary, weakness class, and impact are stated. The bundle does not provide exploit details, observed exploitation, or detailed remediation beyond the unaffected 1.1.1 boundary.
Mitigation direction
- Inventory Red Hat OpenStack systems for python-novajoin usage and version.
- Update python-novajoin to 1.1.1 or later where vendor packages provide it.
- Review Red Hat guidance for any platform-specific advisories or backported fixes.
- Restrict Keystone accounts and roles to the minimum required access.
- Monitor identity-related logs for unexpected FreeIPA token generation.
Validation and detection
- Confirm installed python-novajoin versions are not earlier than 1.1.1.
- Check whether novajoin is deployed in each Red Hat OpenStack environment.
- Verify ordinary Keystone-authenticated users cannot generate FreeIPA tokens through novajoin.
- Review Keystone and FreeIPA logs for suspicious token generation events.
- Confirm remediation status against Red Hat and OpenDev references.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-284: Authorization and privilege behavior lookup
Authorization weaknesses can support privilege escalation and valid-account review, depending on exploit path. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2019-10138 mapping review
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Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.1 (3.0)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.25.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.0 score
7.1HighVector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2019-10138CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://review.opendev.org/#/c/631240/CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Access Control
Improper Access Control represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.