📄 Description (English)
An issue was discovered in OpenStack ironic-python-agent 1.0.0 through 11.5.0. Ironic Python Agent (IPA) sometimes executes grub-install from within a chroot of the deployed partition image, leading to code execution in the case of a malicious image.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
OpenStack Ironic Python Agent versions 1.0.0 through 11.5.0 contain a critical code execution vulnerability where grub-install is executed within a chroot environment of deployed partition images, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code through malicious disk images. This vulnerability affects infrastructure-as-a-service deployments and poses significant risk to cloud infrastructure operators. No patch is currently available, requiring immediate compensating controls and image validation procedures.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: May 5, 2026 19:31
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
Saudi organizations operating OpenStack-based cloud infrastructure are at significant risk, particularly: (1) ARAMCO and energy sector operators managing private cloud deployments for critical infrastructure; (2) Government agencies and NCA-regulated entities using OpenStack for sovereign cloud initiatives; (3) Telecom providers (STC, Mobily) operating IaaS platforms; (4) Financial institutions and SAMA-regulated banks using OpenStack for cloud services. The vulnerability enables complete compromise of deployed virtual machines and underlying hypervisor infrastructure, potentially affecting sensitive data, critical operations, and regulatory compliance.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Energy (ARAMCO, oil & gas operators)
Government (NCA-regulated entities)
Banking (SAMA-regulated institutions)
Telecommunications (STC, Mobily, Zain)
Healthcare (SEHA, private hospitals)
Cloud Service Providers
Critical Infrastructure Operators
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
T1195.003 - Supply Chain Compromise: Compromised Software
T1204.003 - User Execution: Malicious Image
T1059.004 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: Unix Shell
T1548.004 - Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism: Elevated Execution with Prompt
T1611 - Escape to Host
T1578.002 - Modify Cloud Compute Infrastructure: Create Cloud Instance
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
8.5
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Inventory all OpenStack Ironic deployments and identify systems running IPA versions 1.0.0-11.5.0
2. Implement strict image validation: cryptographically sign all disk images and verify signatures before deployment
3. Restrict image sources to trusted, internally-managed repositories only
4. Disable or isolate Ironic Python Agent deployments if not critical to operations
5. Monitor all grub-install executions and chroot operations via auditd/SELinux
COMPENSATING CONTROLS:
1. Implement mandatory code review and security scanning for all custom disk images before deployment
2. Deploy images only from verified, air-gapped image repositories
3. Use read-only filesystem mounts where possible to prevent malicious modifications
4. Implement network segmentation to isolate Ironic-managed infrastructure
5. Enable comprehensive logging and alerting for image deployment activities
DETECTION RULES:
1. Alert on any grub-install execution with chroot parameters
2. Monitor for unexpected child processes spawned from grub-install
3. Track all image uploads and deployments with source verification failures
4. Alert on modifications to deployed partition images post-deployment
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. قم بحصر جميع نشرات OpenStack Ironic وتحديد الأنظمة التي تعمل بإصدارات IPA 1.0.0-11.5.0
2. تطبيق التحقق الصارم من الصور: قم بتوقيع جميع صور الأقراص بشكل تشفيري والتحقق من التوقيعات قبل النشر
3. تقييد مصادر الصور إلى المستودعات الموثوقة والمدارة داخلياً فقط
4. تعطيل أو عزل نشرات Ironic Python Agent إذا لم تكن حرجة للعمليات
5. مراقبة جميع عمليات تنفيذ grub-install وعمليات chroot عبر auditd/SELinux
الضوابط التعويضية:
1. تطبيق المراجعة الإلزامية للأكواد والفحص الأمني لجميع صور الأقراص المخصصة قبل النشر
2. نشر الصور من مستودعات صور موثوقة ومعزولة فقط
3. استخدام تجميع نظام الملفات للقراءة فقط حيث أمكن لمنع التعديلات الضارة
4. تطبيق تقسيم الشبكة لعزل البنية التحتية المدارة بواسطة Ironic
5. تفعيل السجلات الشاملة والتنبيهات لأنشطة نشر الصور
قواعد الكشف:
1. تنبيه عند أي تنفيذ grub-install مع معاملات chroot
2. مراقبة العمليات الفرعية غير المتوقعة التي تم إطلاقها من grub-install
3. تتبع جميع تحميلات الصور والنشرات مع فشل التحقق من المصدر
4. تنبيه عند التعديلات على صور الأقسام المنتشرة بعد النشر
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC 2024 A.5.1.1 - Information security policies and procedures
ECC 2024 A.5.2.1 - Access control and authentication
ECC 2024 A.6.1.1 - Cryptographic controls
ECC 2024 A.7.1.1 - Physical and environmental security
ECC 2024 A.8.1.1 - Operations security and change management
🔵 SAMA CSF
SAMA CSF ID.AM-2 - Software, platforms, and applications inventory
SAMA CSF PR.AC-1 - Access control and identity management
SAMA CSF PR.DS-2 - Data security and encryption
SAMA CSF DE.CM-1 - Detection and monitoring
SAMA CSF RS.MI-1 - Incident response and mitigation
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.1 - Policies for information security
ISO 27001:2022 A.6.1 - Organization of information security
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.1 - Asset management
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.3 - Media handling
ISO 27001:2022 A.12.6 - Change management
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0.1
PCI DSS 1.1 - Firewall configuration standards
PCI DSS 2.1 - Default security parameters
PCI DSS 6.2 - Security patches and updates
PCI DSS 11.2 - Vulnerability scanning
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
openstack:ironic_python_agent