Overview
CVE-2015-5306 describes an issue in OpenStack Ironic Inspector (aka ironic-inspector or ironic-discoverd) where, if the application runs with Flask's debug mode enabled, remote attackers could trigger an error that exposes the Werkzeug interactive debugger console. This effectively allows arbitrary Python code execution on the host, with the potential for extensive resource usage or abuse if the console is misused. The vulnerability highlights CWE-254, reflecting exposure of sensitive debugging interfaces when access controls are insufficient. While the CVE targets a specific OpenStack component, the core risk applies to any Flask app that leaves the interactive debugger accessible on a publicly reachable interface.
Code Fix Example
Flask API Security Remediation
VULNERABLE:
```python
from flask import Flask
app = Flask(__name__)
# Vulnerable: debug mode exposed to public network
if __name__ == '__main__':
app.run(host='0.0.0.0', port=5000, debug=True)
```
FIXED:
```python
from flask import Flask, jsonify
import os
app = Flask(__name__)
# Production-safe: disable debug, handle errors safely
@app.errorhandler(Exception)
def handle_error(e):
# In production, log details server-side and return sanitized response
return jsonify({"error": "Internal Server Error"}), 500
if __name__ == '__main__':
# Do not run the built-in server in production; use a WSGI server instead
app.run(host='127.0.0.1', port=5000, debug=False)
```