CVE-2013-4439: Minion identity not validated in saltstack
Summary
CVE-2013-4439: Minion identity not validated in saltstack. Affects salt versions >= 0.15.0, < 0.17.1. Fixed in 0.17.1. How to fix ↓
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Background
Salt (aka SaltStack) is an open-source software for remote execution, configuration management, and orchestration. It is widely used for managing and controlling large-scale infrastructure. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4439 affects Salt versions prior to 0.15.0 through 0.17.0. This vulnerability allows remote authenticated minions to impersonate arbitrary minions by exploiting a flaw in minion identity validation.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability arises due to a lack of proper validation of minion identities in Salt. An attacker with authenticated access to a minion can create a crafted minion with a valid key, allowing them to impersonate any other minion on the network. This can lead to unauthorized access, privilege escalation, and potential compromise of the entire Salt infrastructure. It is important to note that this vulnerability only affects Salt versions between 0.15.0 and 0.17.0.
How To Fix
Latest published version: 3008.3.0 as of 22 Oct 2026
pip install --upgrade "salt==3008.3.0"Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
0.17.1
This is the first release that contains the fix.
pip install --upgrade "salt==0.17.1"Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
There is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is essential to apply the recommended fix by upgrading to a patched version of Salt.
Conclusion
The vulnerability in Salt (CVE-2013-4439) allows authenticated minions to impersonate arbitrary minions, posing a significant security risk to the Salt infrastructure. It is crucial to upgrade to Salt version 0.17.1 or later to mitigate this vulnerability. For further assistance and support in vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
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FAQ
The vulnerability allows authenticated minions to impersonate arbitrary minions, potentially leading to unauthorized access, privilege escalation, and compromise of the Salt infrastructure.
Salt versions prior to 0.15.0 through 0.17.0 are affected by this vulnerability.
You can use the Vulert Playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your Salt installation is affected by this vulnerability. Simply upload your Pipfile.lock and the playground will provide real-time alerts for open-source vulnerabilities.
No, there is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is crucial to upgrade to a patched version of Salt.
You can find more information about this vulnerability in the GitHub Advisory Database at https://github.com/github/advisory-database/blob/main/advisories/github-reviewed/2022/05/GHSA-jmv9-5gx8-7xpf/GHSA-jmv9-5gx8-7xpf.json
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