CVE-2022-24239 in ACEweb Online Portal
Summary
by MITRE • 06/02/2022
ACEweb Online Portal 3.5.065 was discovered to contain an unrestricted file upload vulnerability via attachments.awp.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/06/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-24239 affects ACEweb Online Portal version 3.5.065 and represents a critical unrestricted file upload flaw that can be exploited through the attachments.awp component. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of insecure file handling within web applications and directly relates to CWE-434 which defines insecure file upload vulnerabilities where applications accept files without proper validation or sanitization. The flaw exists in the file attachment processing functionality of the portal system, creating a pathway for malicious actors to upload arbitrary files to the server without adequate security controls.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an attacker can upload files through the attachments.awp interface without proper input validation or file type restrictions. This allows for the potential upload of malicious executables, scripts, or other harmful file types that could be executed on the target server. The vulnerability essentially bypasses normal file upload restrictions and validation mechanisms that should prevent the acceptance of dangerous file formats. Attackers could leverage this to upload web shells, malware, or other malicious code that would execute within the context of the web application's privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with a potential entry point for further system compromise. Once an attacker successfully uploads a malicious file, they could gain remote code execution capabilities on the affected server, potentially leading to full system compromise. The vulnerability could enable attackers to establish persistent access, escalate privileges, or use the compromised system as a launchpad for attacking other systems within the network. This represents a significant risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected organization's data and systems.
Organizations should immediately implement multiple layers of defense to mitigate this vulnerability. The primary mitigation involves implementing strict file type validation and sanitization mechanisms that prevent the upload of dangerous file extensions or content. This includes implementing whitelisting approaches for allowed file types, proper file content verification, and ensuring that uploaded files are stored in non-executable directories. Additionally, access controls should be strengthened around the attachment functionality, and regular security audits should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities. The mitigation strategy should also include network monitoring to detect unusual file upload patterns and implementing web application firewalls to block suspicious upload requests. This vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to the principle of least privilege in web application development, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications and T1059 for command and scripting interpreters that could be used for execution of uploaded malicious files.