CVE-2020-24710 in Gophish
Summary
by MITRE • 10/29/2020
Gophish before 0.11.0 allows SSRF attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-24710 represents a server-side request forgery flaw in the Gophish phishing simulation platform prior to version 0.11.0. This issue arises from insufficient validation of user-supplied input within the platform's request handling mechanisms, creating a pathway for malicious actors to manipulate the application's behavior. The vulnerability specifically affects the platform's ability to properly sanitize and verify external resource requests, potentially allowing attackers to bypass intended security controls and access internal systems or resources that should remain protected.
The technical implementation of this SSRF vulnerability stems from the application's failure to adequately validate and filter URLs or endpoints specified by users during phishing campaign configuration. When administrators or users configure phishing simulations, they often specify external resources or endpoints that the platform must access to deliver phishing payloads or collect responses. The flaw occurs when these inputs are not properly sanitized before being processed, enabling attackers to craft malicious requests that can traverse internal network boundaries. This vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration framework as CWE-918, which specifically addresses server-side request forgery vulnerabilities where applications fail to properly validate and sanitize external resource requests.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable attackers to perform reconnaissance activities against internal network resources, access sensitive data stored on internal servers, or even escalate privileges within the compromised environment. An attacker could potentially leverage this vulnerability to target internal services that are not directly exposed to the internet, such as database servers, internal APIs, or administrative interfaces. The implications become particularly severe when considering that Gophish is commonly used in enterprise environments for security awareness training and penetration testing activities, where the platform may have access to sensitive internal resources or network segments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching to version 0.11.0 or later, which includes enhanced input validation and sanitization mechanisms for external resource requests. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and firewall rules to limit the platform's access to internal resources, ensuring that even if an attacker exploits this vulnerability, their access remains restricted to predetermined safe zones. Additionally, implementing strict access controls and monitoring for unusual request patterns can help detect exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190, which covers the exploitation of server-side request forgery to gain access to internal systems, making it particularly relevant for organizations implementing comprehensive threat hunting and detection capabilities. Security teams should also consider conducting thorough audits of all external resource configurations within phishing platforms and implementing automated scanning tools to identify similar vulnerabilities across their infrastructure.