CVE-2020-12459: Github.com/grafana/grafana Grafana World Readable Configuration Files Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-m25m-5778-fm22
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CVSS 5.5
CWE-732 CWE-200
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2020-12459 is a HIGH (CVSS 5.5) grafana world readable configuration files vulnerability (CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource) affecting Github.com/grafana/grafana libraries in the Go ecosystem. The issue involves grafana world readable configuration files. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 7.2.1.

CVE-2020-12459 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2020-12459
GHSA Identifier GHSA-m25m-5778-fm22
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 5.5
CWE Classification CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
Affected Product Github.com/grafana/grafana
Package Ecosystem Go
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 5.5

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N).

Attack Vector Local (AV:L)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2020-12459

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Github.com/grafana/grafana dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

github.com/grafana/grafana fixed: 7.2.1 
Upgrade github.com/grafana/grafana to 7.2.1
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

inspect dependencies for github.com/grafana/grafana

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2020-12459, inspect your project dependencies for Github.com/grafana/grafana:

inspect dependencies for github.com/grafana/grafana

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Github.com/grafana/grafana in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 7.2.1), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource, where the product specifies permissions for a security-critical resource in a way that allows that resource to be read or modified by unintended actors. In Github.com/grafana/grafana, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

In certain Red Hat packages for Grafana 6.x through 6.3.6, the configuration files `/etc/grafana/grafana.ini` and `/etc/grafana/ldap.toml` (which contain a secret_key and a bind_password) are world readable.

CVE-2020-12459 Affected Github.com/grafana/grafana Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
7.2.1
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
github.com/grafana/grafana
golang/github.com/grafana/grafana
Go
≥ 6.0.0-beta1
< 7.2.1
7.2.1

References

NVD — CVE-2020-12459 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-12459
Github.com/grafana/grafana Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/grafana/grafana/issues/8283
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/grafana/grafana/commit/102448040d5132460e3b0013e03ebedec0677e00
Github.com/grafana/grafana Security Information SECURITY
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-12459
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi WEB
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1827765
bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi WEB
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1829724
Github.com/grafana/grafana Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/grafana/grafana
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/packa... WEB
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/CTQCKJZZYXMCSHJFZZ3YXEO5NUBANGZS
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/packa... WEB
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/WEBCIEVSYIDDCA7FTRS2IFUOYLIQU34A
Github.com/grafana/grafana Security Information SECURITY
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20200518-0004
src.fedoraproject.org/rpms/grafana/c/fab9... WEB
https://src.fedoraproject.org/rpms/grafana/c/fab93d67363eb0a9678d9faf160cc88237f26277

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-12459?
CVE-2020-12459 is a security vulnerability in Github.com/grafana/grafana involving Grafana world readable configuration files under CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource.
Which Github.com/grafana/grafana versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 7.2.1 across affected packages: github.com/grafana/grafana.
What version fixes CVE-2020-12459?
Upgrading to 7.2.1 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is github.com/grafana/grafana affected?
Yes, github.com/grafana/grafana is affected in releases prior to 7.2.1. Upgrade your dependency to 7.2.1 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2020-12459?
CVE-2020-12459 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2020-12459?
CVE-2020-12459 is classified under CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource (The product specifies permissions for a security-critical resource in a way that allows that resource to be read or modified by unintended actors.).
How can I check Go dependencies for CVE-2020-12459?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for github.com/grafana/grafana'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-m25m-5778-fm22",
  "modified" : "2026-01-16T21:49:49Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-24T17:16:52Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2020-12459" ],
  "summary" : "Grafana world readable configuration files",
  "details" : "In certain Red Hat packages for Grafana 6.x through 6.3.6, the configuration files `/etc/grafana/grafana.ini` and `/etc/grafana/ldap.toml` (which contain a secret_key and a bind_password) are world readable.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/grafana/grafana"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "6.0.0-beta1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "7.2.1"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-12459"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/grafana/grafana/issues/8283"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/grafana/grafana/commit/102448040d5132460e3b0013e03ebedec0677e00"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-12459"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1827765"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1829724"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/grafana/grafana"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/CTQCKJZZYXMCSHJFZZ3YXEO5NUBANGZS"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/WEBCIEVSYIDDCA7FTRS2IFUOYLIQU34A"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20200518-0004"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://src.fedoraproject.org/rpms/grafana/c/fab93d67363eb0a9678d9faf160cc88237f26277"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-200", "CWE-732" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2024-02-01T21:46:14Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2020-04-29T16:15:00Z"
  }
}