Summary
The (1) OS-KSADM/services and (2) tenant APIs in OpenStack Keystone Essex before 2012.1.2 and Folsom before folsom-2 do not properly validate X-Auth-Token, which allow remote attackers to read the roles for an arbitrary user or get, create, or delete arbitrary services.
Impact
The application does not adequately verify the identity of a user, device, or process before granting access. Typical impact: unauthorized access to functions or data reserved for authenticated parties.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
Remediation advice
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2012-4456? CVE-2012-4456 is a high-severity improper authentication vulnerability in keystone (pip), affecting versions >= 2012.1, < 2012.1.2. It is fixed in 2012.1.2. The application does not adequately verify the identity of a user, device, or process before granting access.
- Which versions of keystone are affected by CVE-2012-4456? keystone (pip) versions >= 2012.1, < 2012.1.2 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2012-4456? Yes. CVE-2012-4456 is fixed in 2012.1.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2012-4456 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2012-4456 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2012-4456 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2012-4456? Upgrade
keystoneto 2012.1.2 or later.