CVE-2023-27094 in Hippo4j
Summary
by MITRE • 03/23/2023
An issue found in OpenGoofy Hippo4j v.1.4.3 allows attackers to escalate privileges via the ThreadPoolController of the tenant Management module.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-27094 affects OpenGoofy Hippo4j version 1.4.3 and represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the tenant management module of this distributed thread pool management system. This issue specifically targets the ThreadPoolController component which handles administrative functions for multi-tenant environments where multiple organizations or users share the same system infrastructure while maintaining isolated processing environments.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate authorization checks and access control mechanisms within the ThreadPoolController implementation. Attackers can exploit this weakness to gain elevated privileges beyond their normal tenant boundaries, potentially allowing them to manipulate thread pool configurations, access data from other tenants, or execute arbitrary code within the system. The vulnerability manifests when the system fails to properly validate user credentials and permissions before granting access to administrative functions within the tenant management module, creating a direct pathway for unauthorized privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant across multiple security domains including data confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Successful exploitation could enable attackers to disrupt service operations by modifying thread pool configurations, potentially causing system instability or denial of service conditions. Additionally, the privilege escalation capability allows for lateral movement within multi-tenant environments, enabling attackers to access sensitive data belonging to other organizations sharing the same infrastructure. This risk is particularly severe in cloud environments where tenant isolation is critical for maintaining security boundaries and compliance requirements.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege. The flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1548.001 (Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism) as attackers can leverage existing accounts to escalate privileges rather than relying on credential theft. Organizations using OpenGoofy Hippo4j v.1.4.3 should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the patched version, implementing additional access controls, and conducting comprehensive security assessments of their multi-tenant configurations. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper authorization mechanisms in distributed systems and highlights the need for regular security audits of administrative interfaces in multi-tenant architectures.