Summary:
Prometheus is a popular monitoring tool used extensively in DevOps and cloud-native environments. However, the default configurations often prioritize accessibility over security, leaving systems vulnerable to exploitation. Threat actors can leverage exposed endpoints to execute volumetric queries, triggering excessive resource consumption on the server or its associated exporters. The impact of such an attack could be particularly severe in production environments where Prometheus is monitoring critical applications or infrastructure.

According to reports, over 300,000 Prometheus servers and exporters are exposed to potential Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks due to misconfigurations and lack of proper security measures. These systems, widely used for monitoring and alerting in cloud and on-premises environments, often lack authentication or are left accessible over the internet, making them attractive targets for attackers. An attacker could exploit these vulnerabilities to overload the servers with excessive queries, causing resource exhaustion, service disruption, or even complete outages in critical environments.

Security Officer Comments:
The lack of authentication mechanisms in many Prometheus deployments exacerbates the risk, as anyone with network access can query metrics or inject malicious queries. Advanced attackers could use this exposure not just for DoS but also for reconnaissance, gathering sensitive operational data for future attacks. Organizations need to adopt a security-first approach to their Prometheus deployments, ensuring that default configurations are hardened and access is strictly controlled.

Suggested Corrections:
To secure Prometheus servers and exporters against potential DoS attacks, organizations should restrict access to internal networks or use VPNs, avoiding direct internet exposure. Authentication mechanisms such as Basic Auth or OAuth2 should be enabled, with strict access controls enforced.

Link(s):
https://www.aquasec.com/blog/300000-prometheus-servers-and-exporters-exposed-to-dos-attacks/