Steeltoe's env sanitizer misses connection strings — leaks embedded DB passwords
Summary
The Sanitizer component in the Environment actuator redacts configuration values by matching the configuration key name against a suffix list. The default list (password, secret, key, token, .*credentials.*, vcap_services) does not cover the standard .NET pattern ConnectionStrings:<name> or Steeltoe Connectors' Steeltoe:Client:<type>:Default:ConnectionString. There is no value-based scrubbing, so full connection string values including embedded Password= and user:pass@host segments are returned verbatim in /actuator/env responses.
Impact
Any caller who can reach /actuator/env can receive connection strings containing plaintext credentials. Those credentials enable direct connection to the backing database, bypassing the application tier.
Affected configuration
- Application configuration contains credentials in
ConnectionStrings:*or*:ConnectionStringkeys. - On standard deployments:
envis added toManagement:Endpoints:Actuator:Exposure:Include. This is not the default. - On Cloud Foundry: the
/cloudfoundryapplication/envpath is accessible to any authenticated CF user withread_basic_datapermissions (Space Auditor and above) regardless of the exposure configuration.
Mitigations
If an immediate upgrade is not possible:
- On the standard path, remove
envfrom the actuator exposure list. - Add
.*connectionstring.*toKeysToSanitizeas a defense-in-depth measure for both paths. - Require authorization on actuator endpoints.
Affected software
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| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| .NET (NuGet) | Steeltoe.Management.Endpoint | < 4.2.0 | 4.2.0 |
| .NET (NuGet) | Steeltoe.Management.EndpointCore | < 3.4.0 | 3.4.0 |
References
- https://github.com/SteeltoeOSS/security-advisories/security/advisories/GHSA-q62h-354g-5r85
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-50200
- https://github.com/SteeltoeOSS/Steeltoe/commit/bef9f14b710232fca3fbe87e48fdd1b9e6b60d43
- https://github.com/SteeltoeOSS/Steeltoe/commit/e50cd31a429b191841120f0d38fa9dda8f751b0a
- https://github.com/SteeltoeOSS/Steeltoe
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-200, CWE-319- Platform
- .NET (NuGet)
- Package
Steeltoe.Management.Endpoint, Steeltoe.Management.EndpointCore- Disclosed
- 02.07.2026
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 11:23
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-q62h-354g-5r85 - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: Steeltoe.Management.Endpoint
All published vulnerabilities of this package (.NET (NuGet)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 4
- First → latest
- 07.2026 09.2026
- Without a fix
- 0
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- High 2
- Medium 2
Disclosures per year
- 2026: 4
-
Steeltoe's env sanitizer misses connection strings — leaks embedded DB passwords this entry
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