# CVE-2018-20170: Information disclosure in n/a

> OpenStack Keystone allows user enumeration via timing differences in authentication responses, enabling attackers to identify valid usernames.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 Dec 2018
- **Updated:** 14 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jpv2-hwjh-97c7, PYSEC-2018-9, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-20170

## What is CVE-2018-20170?

CVE-2018-20170 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 17 Dec 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

OpenStack Keystone through 14.0.1 has a user enumeration vulnerability because invalid usernames have much faster responses than valid ones for a POST /v3/auth/tokens request. NOTE: the vendor's position is that this is a hardening opportunity, and not necessarily an issue that should have an OpenStack Security Advisory

Weakness: CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-20170?

1 open source package ship an affected version, including keystone. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `keystone` | PyPI | All versions | 14.1.0 |

Products: Openstack Keystone.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-20170?

Upgrade keystone to 14.1.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2018-20170 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-20170 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2020-12690](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-12690/): Insufficient Session Expiration in OpenStack Keystone (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2019-19687](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-19687/): OpenStack Keystone Credential Leakage (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-43001](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-43001/): OpenStack Keystone has an Incorrect Authorization Issue (high 7.9)
- [CVE-2014-2828](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-2828/): OpenStack Identity (Keystone) DoS through V3 API authentication chaining (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-38155](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38155/): OpenStack Keystone allows information disclosure during account locking (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-20170 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-20170 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 17 Dec 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-20170 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- keystone (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 14.1.0

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-20170/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-20170/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-20170
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-20170
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-20170

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-20170/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.