Elastic X-Pack Security versions 5.0.0 to 5.4.0 contain a privilege escalation bug in the run_as functionality. This bug prevents transitioning into the specified user specified in a run_as request. If a role has been created using a template that contains the _user properties, the behavior of run_as will be incorrect. Additionally if the run_as user specified does not exist, the transition will not happen.
This vulnerability carries a HIGH severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 8.8, indicating it can be exploited remotely over the network with relatively low complexity without requiring user interaction requiring only low-level privileges . The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (data exposure), integrity (unauthorized modifications), and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 1 product from elastic organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
First disclosed in 2017, this vulnerability was reported during a period defined by widespread IoT adoption challenges, mobile security concerns, and the emergence of advanced persistent threat (APT) techniques. Contemporary mitigation strategies focused on secure development practices and third-party component vetting.
2017-06-05T14:29:00.280
2025-04-20T01:37:25.860
Deferred
CVSSv3.0: 8.8 (HIGH)
AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
8.0
6.4
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version/Range | Vulnerable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application | elastic | x-pack | 5.0.0 | Yes |
| Application | elastic | x-pack | 5.0.1 | Yes |
| Application | elastic | x-pack | 5.0.2 | Yes |
| Application | elastic | x-pack | 5.1.0 | Yes |
| Application | elastic | x-pack | 5.1.1 | Yes |
| Application | elastic | x-pack | 5.2.0 | Yes |
| Application | elastic | x-pack | 5.2.1 | Yes |
| Application | elastic | x-pack | 5.2.2 | Yes |
| Application | elastic | x-pack | 5.3.0 | Yes |
| Application | elastic | x-pack | 5.3.1 | Yes |
| Application | elastic | x-pack | 5.3.2 | Yes |
| Application | elastic | x-pack | 5.3.3 | Yes |
| Application | elastic | x-pack | 5.4.0 | Yes |
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For elastic's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.