CVE-2020-24406 in Magento
Summary
by MITRE • 11/09/2020
When in maintenance mode, Magento version 2.4.0 and 2.3.4 (and earlier) are affected by an information disclosure vulnerability that could expose the installation path during build deployments. This information could be helpful to attackers if they are able to identify other exploitable vulnerabilities in the environment.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/03/2020
This vulnerability resides in the Magento e-commerce platform where the system fails to properly sanitize output during maintenance mode operations. The flaw specifically affects versions 2.4.0 and 2.3.4 along with their preceding releases, creating an information disclosure scenario that reveals the server installation path. When the application operates in maintenance mode, it inadvertently includes the absolute file system path in error messages or response headers, which should remain hidden to prevent attackers from gaining insights into the underlying system architecture. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-200, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor, and represents a fundamental breakdown in the principle of least privilege and information hiding. The exposure of installation paths provides attackers with critical reconnaissance data that can be leveraged to plan more sophisticated attacks against the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of maintenance mode responses within the Magento framework. During deployment processes, when the system enters maintenance state, it should suppress all internal path information from being exposed to end users or external entities. However, the code fails to sanitize the output properly, allowing the absolute path to be included in various response elements including HTTP headers, error messages, or debug information. This occurs because the maintenance mode implementation does not adequately filter or escape path information before it reaches the response layer, creating a direct information leak that violates secure coding practices and security by design principles.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it significantly weakens the overall security posture of Magento installations. Attackers who can access this information can use the revealed installation paths to better understand the system's file structure, potentially identifying other vulnerabilities such as weak directory permissions, exposed configuration files, or misconfigured components. The disclosure of the absolute path can also aid in bypassing certain security controls, as attackers may be able to craft more targeted attacks based on the specific directory structure. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083, which covers the discovery of file and directory permissions, and represents a classic example of how seemingly minor information leaks can compound into significant security risks. Organizations running affected versions should consider this exposure as part of their threat modeling and incident response planning.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability by upgrading to patched versions of Magento 2.4.1 and 2.3.5, which contain the necessary code changes to prevent path disclosure during maintenance mode. Additionally, system administrators should review their deployment processes to ensure that maintenance mode is properly configured and that no unnecessary debugging information is exposed. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls should be configured to filter out potential path information in responses, though this represents a secondary mitigation since the core issue lies in the application code itself. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of regular security assessments and proper configuration management, as maintaining a secure system requires attention to both code-level security and operational security practices. Organizations should also consider implementing automated monitoring for path disclosure patterns in their logs and responses to detect any potential exploitation attempts.