GHSA-X5HG-X4GV-J98M

Description

A regression was introduced in OpenSearch 2.18.0 that caused the plugins.security.ssl.transport.enforce_hostname_verification setting to be ineffective. When this setting was enabled, OpenSearch did not verify that the hostname in a connecting node's TLS certificate matched the hostname of the connection. This could allow a node with a valid certificate (signed by the cluster's trusted CA) but an incorrect hostname SAN to join the cluster.

Workarounds

Use more restrictive values for plugins.security.nodes_dn to limit which certificates are accepted for node-to-node communication.

Clusters running affected versions with hostname verification enabled did not receive the expected protection from this setting. A node presenting a certificate signed by the cluster's trusted CA could join the cluster regardless of whether its hostname SAN matched. This regression does not affect certificate validation itself, only the additional hostname verification check.

GHSA-X5HG-X4GV-J98M has a CVSS score of 2.2 (Low). The vector is network-reachable, high privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (2.19.4.0, 3.3.0.0); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

This issue is fixed in OpenSearch 2.19.4 and 3.3.0.

1. What is GHSA-X5HG-X4GV-J98M? GHSA-X5HG-X4GV-J98M is a low-severity security vulnerability in org.opensearch.plugin:opensearch-security (maven), affecting versions >= 2.18.0, < 2.19.4.0. It is fixed in 2.19.4.0, 3.3.0.0.
2. How severe is GHSA-X5HG-X4GV-J98M? GHSA-X5HG-X4GV-J98M has a CVSS score of 2.2 (Low). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of org.opensearch.plugin:opensearch-security are affected by GHSA-X5HG-X4GV-J98M? org.opensearch.plugin:opensearch-security (maven) versions >= 2.18.0, < 2.19.4.0 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for GHSA-X5HG-X4GV-J98M? Yes. GHSA-X5HG-X4GV-J98M is fixed in 2.19.4.0, 3.3.0.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is GHSA-X5HG-X4GV-J98M exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether GHSA-X5HG-X4GV-J98M 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
6. What actually determines whether GHSA-X5HG-X4GV-J98M 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.
7. How do I fix GHSA-X5HG-X4GV-J98M?
   • Upgrade org.opensearch.plugin:opensearch-security to 2.19.4.0 or later
   • Upgrade org.opensearch.plugin:opensearch-security to 3.3.0.0 or later

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