H3-2025-0033
Docker-compose.yml Misconfiguration Exposure
| Category | SECURITY_MISCONFIGURATION |
| Base Score | 6.5 |
Description
Docker-compose configuration files are often used to orchestrate containerized applications and define service dependencies, network settings, volumes, and environment variables. When these files are inadvertently exposed via insecure web server configurations or placed in publicly accessible directories, they can reveal a wealth of sensitive information. The exposed docker-compose.yml file might contain hardcoded credentials, API keys, secret tokens, database settings, internal network details, and other environment-specific configurations. This vulnerability arises when proper access controls are not enforced, or when automated deployment or documentation processes mistakenly leave these files accessible. An attacker who discovers such an exposed file can study its contents to gain insights into the architecture of the deployed application, identify weak spots in the network design, and potentially leverage the misconfigured settings to escalate privileges. The leakage of sensitive configuration data may lead to unauthorized access to backend services and, in some cases, might even facilitate remote code execution if additional vulnerabilities are present. Organizations relying on containerized services could face cascading security issues due to poor segregation of secrets and configuration management practices. Beyond immediate exploitation, the exposure of such configuration files indicates broader security hygiene problems and non-compliance with best practices, which may have further implications including regulatory penalties and loss of customer trust.
Impact
If exploited, attackers can retrieve sensitive information such as environment variables, credentials, and internal network configurations. This information can enable attackers to gain unauthorized access, pivot through the network, and potentially execute remote code. The comprehensive insight into the container orchestration environment can facilitate further attacks on backend services and compromise the integrity and confidentiality of the deployed systems.