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Pentest
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Last edited time
May 29, 2024 1:59 PM
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👉 Overview
👀 What ?
Pentesting Cassandra, or penetration testing on Apache Cassandra databases, is a method of evaluating the security of a Cassandra database by simulating attacks from malicious sources. The test targets the ports 9042 and 9160, commonly used by Cassandra for client connections and Thrift clients respectively.
🧐 Why ?
Pentesting Cassandra is crucial because it helps to identify any potential security loopholes that could be exploited by cybercriminals. Cassandra is a highly scalable and distributed database, which makes it a lucrative target for attackers. The ports 9042 and 9160 are particularly sensitive since they are typically open for client connections and any vulnerability could lead to data leakage or unauthorized data manipulation.
⛏️ How ?
To perform a pentest on a Cassandra database, one can use various tools like Nmap for port scanning, Cassandra-stress tool for load testing, and cqlsh, a Python-based command-line client, for interacting with Cassandra. These tools can help identify open ports, test the database's ability to handle large amounts of data, and execute queries to test the database's response, respectively. It is crucial to follow a systematic approach - starting from reconnaissance, threat modeling, vulnerability assessment to finally exploitation and reporting.
⏳ When ?
Pentesting should be carried out regularly, especially when there are changes in the database configuration or updates in the Cassandra version. However, it is recommended to perform these tests in a test environment to avoid disruptions in the production environment.
⚙️ Technical Explanations
Cassandra uses a distributed architecture with no single point of failure, making it highly resilient. However, this also means that if an attacker gains access to one node, they could potentially gain access to the entire database. During pentesting, the focus should be on areas like weak authentication mechanisms, insecure data transportation, and misconfigurations. For instance, using the default 'cassandra' user with its default password is a major security risk. Likewise, sending data in plaintext over the network could expose sensitive data. Misconfigurations, such as enabling Thrift interface without proper access controls, can also lead to unauthorized data access.