CVE-2025-22829 Overview
CVE-2025-22829 is an improper privilege management vulnerability [CWE-269] in the Apache CloudStack Quota plugin. The flaw affects CloudStack version 4.20.0.0 when the Quota plugin is enabled. Any authenticated user with access to specific Quota APIs can enable or disable quota-related email notifications for any account in the environment and list their configurations. The issue does not permit arbitrary data disclosure or destructive actions, but it violates account isolation across tenants in shared CloudStack deployments.
Critical Impact
Authenticated users can manipulate quota email notification settings for accounts they do not own, undermining multi-tenant isolation in CloudStack 4.20.0.0 deployments.
Affected Products
- Apache CloudStack 4.20.0.0 with the Quota plugin enabled
- Deployments exposing Quota-related APIs to authenticated users
- Multi-tenant CloudStack environments running the affected version
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-06-10 - CVE-2025-22829 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-22829
Vulnerability Analysis
The Apache CloudStack Quota plugin manages resource accounting and email notifications tied to per-account quota thresholds. In version 4.20.0.0, several Quota APIs fail to enforce ownership or role-based checks before acting on a target account identifier. An authenticated user can supply an arbitrary account reference and toggle quota email reception or enumerate the current configuration.
The vulnerability is limited to quota email settings, so it does not expose credentials, workload data, or administrative controls. However, the ability to silence quota alerts for other tenants can be used to conceal resource abuse or delay operator response to overconsumption. In shared service provider environments, this weakens tenant isolation guarantees that CloudStack is expected to uphold.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing privilege enforcement in Quota plugin API handlers. The affected endpoints trust the caller to only reference accounts they own, rather than validating that the authenticated principal has authority over the target account. This is a classic instance of improper privilege management as classified by CWE-269.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires network access to the CloudStack management API and valid low-privilege credentials. The attacker calls the affected Quota APIs with a target account identifier that belongs to another tenant, requesting either an update or a listing of the quota email configuration. No user interaction or elevated role is required beyond an authenticated session.
No verified public proof-of-concept code is available. See the Apache CloudStack CVE Advisories and the ShapeBlue Security Advisory for CloudStack for technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-22829
Indicators of Compromise
- Quota plugin API calls where the caller's account differs from the account or accountid parameter in the request
- Unexpected changes to quota email notification state (enabled or disabled) on accounts without a corresponding administrative work order
- Repeated enumeration of quota email configurations across multiple account identifiers from a single user session
Detection Strategies
- Review CloudStack management server logs for Quota API invocations such as those that update or list quota email configurations and correlate the caller identity with the target account
- Alert on any non-admin user issuing Quota API requests that reference accounts outside their own domain or project scope
- Baseline expected Quota API usage per role and flag deviations, especially bulk configuration reads across tenants
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward CloudStack management-server.log and audit events to a centralized logging or SIEM platform for retention and correlation
- Monitor authentication and API access patterns for low-privilege accounts that suddenly interact with quota administration endpoints
- Track version metadata across CloudStack management servers to identify hosts still running 4.20.0.0
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-22829
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade Apache CloudStack 4.20.0.0 deployments to version 4.20.1.0, which contains the fix for CVE-2025-22829
- If upgrading is not immediately possible, disable the Quota plugin in environments where it is not required
- Audit recent Quota API activity for cross-account modifications and restore intended email notification settings
Patch Information
Apache CloudStack 4.20.1.0 remediates the improper privilege management logic in the Quota plugin. Refer to the Apache CloudStack mailing list announcement and the Apache CloudStack CVE Advisories for release details and upgrade guidance.
Workarounds
- Disable the Quota plugin on management servers where it is not actively used until the upgrade is applied
- Restrict management API access to trusted networks and administrator IP ranges using network policies or a reverse proxy
- Limit Quota-related API permissions to administrative roles through CloudStack's role-based access control configuration
# Configuration example: verify CloudStack version and Quota plugin status
cloudstack-management --version
mysql -e "SELECT name, value FROM cloud.configuration WHERE name LIKE 'quota.%';"
# After upgrading to 4.20.1.0, restart the management server
systemctl restart cloudstack-management
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
