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CVE Record

CVE-2026-50152: Ceph Monitor subscription handler improperly authorizes config-key store reads, exposing cluster secrets to read-only users

Ceph is an open-source distributed storage platform providing object, block, and file storage. In versions prior to 20.2.4 and 19.2.6, the Monitor subscription handler fails to properly authorize access to the configuration-key store, allowing any CephX user with only  `mon allow r` capabilities to read the entire store by sending a single crafted MMonSubscribe message. The config-key store holds sensitive secrets including OSD LUKS disk-encryption passphrases and, on cephadm-managed clusters, the SSH private key that cephadm uses to reach every host in the cluster. Because that key grants root on every node under the default cephadm configuration, a low-privileged read-only account can escalate to full cluster and host compromise. This issue is fixed in versions 20.2.4 and 19.2.6

CriticalCVSS 9.1Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysiscritical

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A read-only Ceph account can bypass intended authorization and retrieve the cluster’s complete configuration-key store. Exposed data may include disk-encryption passphrases and cephadm’s SSH private key. Under default cephadm configuration, that key provides root access across cluster hosts, turning a low-privileged account into potential cluster-wide compromise.

Executive priority

Treat as an immediate remediation priority for affected clusters, particularly cephadm deployments. A nominally read-only account may expose credentials enabling root control of all nodes, threatening hosted data, encryption protections, service integrity, and availability.

Technical view

The Ceph Monitor subscription handler improperly authorizes config-key store subscriptions. An authenticated CephX principal with only `mon allow r` can use a crafted MMonSubscribe message to read the entire store. The issue affects Ceph 19.0.0–19.2.5 and 20.0.0–20.2.3 and is corrected in 19.2.6 and 20.2.4.

Likely exposure

Exposure exists where affected Ceph versions are running and a low-privileged CephX user can reach a Monitor. Cephadm-managed environments face especially severe risk because the stored SSH key may grant root access to every cluster host under the default configuration.

Exploitation context

The weakness is remotely reachable, requires low privileges, needs no user interaction, and has low attack complexity. The supplied sources do not report known active exploitation, and the CVE is not identified as being in CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Researcher notes

This is an authorization failure, CWE-285, in the Monitor subscription path rather than ordinary permitted config-key access. CVSS 3.1 is 9.1 with scope changed. Public fix commits are available, but the supplied evidence does not establish proof-of-concept publication or exploitation in the wild.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade Ceph 19.x clusters to 19.2.6 or later.
  • Upgrade Ceph 20.x clusters to 20.2.4 or later.
  • Restrict Monitor access and review CephX accounts with `mon allow r`.
  • If exposure is suspected, rotate stored SSH keys, encryption secrets, and other config-key credentials.
  • Check the Ceph advisory for release-specific deployment guidance.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Ceph versions and confirm none fall within the affected ranges.
  • Enumerate CephX principals holding `mon allow r` or broader Monitor permissions.
  • Confirm Monitor network access is limited to authorized systems and administrative paths.
  • Review logs for unexpected Monitor subscription activity by low-privileged principals.
  • After upgrading, verify deployed Monitor binaries report fixed versions.
  • Assess whether exposed config-key secrets require rotation based on account and access history.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
5

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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 · low confidence lookup

CWE-285: Exact CWE lookup

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2026-50152 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Critical
CVSS
9.1 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:L

Official CVE source material

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.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
4Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: total

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We 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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
9.1CVSS 3.1CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:L3.15.3GitHub_M

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

9.1Critical
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2026-50152Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:L

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
cephceph>= 19.0.0, < 19.2.6, >= 20.0.0, < 20.2.4Listed
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-285

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.

CWE-285 · source CWE mapping

CWE mapping pending import

This CVE carries a CWE mapping that will resolve to a full Glexia CWE intelligence page after the official CWE import is complete.

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