CVE-2018-14865 in Community
Summary
by MITRE
Report engine in Odoo Community 9.0 through 11.0 and earlier and Odoo Enterprise 9.0 through 11.0 and earlier does not use secure options when passing documents to wkhtmltopdf, which allows remote attackers to read local files.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/17/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-14865 affects the report engine functionality within Odoo Community and Enterprise editions version 9.0 through 11.0. This security flaw resides in how the system handles document processing through the wkhtmltopdf conversion utility, creating a critical path for unauthorized file access. The vulnerability represents a significant concern for organizations utilizing Odoo as their business management platform, particularly those handling sensitive data through report generation features.
The technical implementation flaw occurs when the Odoo report engine invokes wkhtmltopdf without employing secure configuration options that would prevent local file inclusion attacks. This misconfiguration allows remote attackers to manipulate the report generation process by injecting malicious parameters that cause wkhtmltopdf to access and retrieve local files from the server filesystem. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and parameter sanitization within the report processing pipeline, creating an attack surface where arbitrary file reading becomes possible through crafted report requests.
Operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as attackers can potentially access sensitive organizational data including configuration files, database credentials, application source code, and other confidential information stored locally on the server. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers do not require physical access to the system or local network privileges to leverage this vulnerability. This creates a severe risk for organizations where Odoo serves as a central business application, as the compromise of report generation functionality can lead to complete system infiltration and data exfiltration. The vulnerability affects both Community and Enterprise editions, indicating it is a fundamental flaw in the core report engine architecture rather than a product-specific issue.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch application from Odoo vendors, as this vulnerability was addressed in subsequent releases through proper implementation of secure wkhtmltopdf options. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to Odoo applications, particularly those handling sensitive data. Additional protective measures include restricting report generation capabilities to trusted users only, implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious report requests, and conducting regular security assessments of the report engine functionality. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory) and represents a path traversal attack vector that can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1566 (Phishing with Malicious Attachment) when leveraged in broader attack campaigns. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring solutions that can detect unusual report generation patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts.