A critical vulnerability (CVE-2025-27017) in Apache NiFi exposes MongoDB authentication credentials through system provenance records, impacting versions 1.13.0 through 2.2.0.
The flaw allows authorized users with provenance event access to extract sensitive database credentials, creating secondary attack vectors for potential data breaches.
Technical Analysis
The vulnerability stems from MongoDBControllerService components storing cleartext credentials in NiFi’s provenance events – audit trails tracking data processing steps.
These events retain usernames/passwords used for MongoDB authentication, violating credential isolation principles.
While requiring authorized access (CVSS Privileges Required: Low), the exposure creates lateral movement risks if attackers compromise accounts with:
- Read permissions to NiFi’s provenance API endpoints
- Access to archived provenance logs
- Privileges to query MongoDB processors’ historical operations
Apache NiFi 2.3.0 resolves the issue by implementing credential redaction in provenance records.
Organizations using MongoDB with NiFi for cybersecurity pipelines, AI data flows, or observability stacks face elevated risks due to frequent credential reuse across systems.
Risk Assessment
| Risk Factor | Details |
|---|---|
| Exposure Method | Credentials stored in cleartext within provenance event metadata |
| CVSS Severity | Moderate (5.3) – Requires existing privileges for exploitation |
| Affected Components | All MongoDB processors using MongoDBControllerService configurations |
| Lateral Movement Potential | Exposed credentials enable database compromise and data exfiltration |
| Required Access Level | Read permissions to NiFi provenance subsystem |
| Mitigation Complexity | Low – Upgrade to NiFi 2.3.0; no configuration changes needed |
Impacted Workflows
The vulnerability specifically affects flows using MongoDB processors for:
- NoSQL database ingestion via GetMongo/PutMongo
- TLS-secured MongoDB connections requiring SSLContextService
- High-throughput data pipelines storing credentials in controller services
Security teams should audit all MongoDBControllerService instances and rotate credentials post-upgrade.
As provenance data often persists in storage subsystems, historical logs may still contain exposed credentials requiring sanitization.
Mitigation Recommendations
- Immediate Upgrade: Deploy Apache NiFi 2.3.0 to activate credential redaction
- Credential Rotation: Reset all MongoDB passwords used in NiFi workflows
- Access Restriction: Apply the principle of least privilege to provenance APIs using NiFi’s RBAC14
- Log Auditing: Scan existing provenance archives for credential leakage using tools like NiFi Registry
This vulnerability highlights the risks of credential persistence in audit systems.
The NiFi maintainers have addressed the core exposure, but organizations must implement complementary security controls for MongoDB authentication, including certificate-based access and encrypted credential storage.
Also Read:
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