CVE-2023-27464 in Mendix
Summary
by MITRE • 04/11/2023
A vulnerability has been identified in Mendix Forgot Password (Mendix 7 compatible) (All versions < V3.7.1), Mendix Forgot Password (Mendix 8 compatible) (All versions < V4.1.1), Mendix Forgot Password (Mendix 9 compatible) (All versions < V5.1.1). The affected versions of the module contain an observable response discrepancy issue that could allow an attacker to retrieve sensitive information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/11/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2023-27464 affects Mendix Forgot Password modules across multiple versions, representing a significant security weakness that could enable unauthorized information disclosure. This issue manifests as an observable response discrepancy that occurs when the password recovery mechanism processes user requests, creating a potential attack surface for malicious actors seeking to exploit the system's response behavior.
The technical flaw in this vulnerability stems from inconsistent response handling within the password reset functionality of the Mendix modules. When legitimate and invalid user accounts are queried through the forgot password mechanism, the system provides different response times or message formats that can be observed by attackers. This differential response behavior creates a timing side-channel attack vector that allows adversaries to distinguish between existing and non-existing user accounts, effectively enabling account enumeration attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with the capability to perform account enumeration and subsequently launch targeted attacks against specific user accounts. Security professionals should note that this issue aligns with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-347 (Improper Verification of Cryptographic Signature) categories, as the vulnerability exposes sensitive information through response discrepancies rather than direct data leakage. The attack pattern follows ATT&CK technique T1087.001 (Account Discovery: Local Account) and T1566.001 (Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment) where enumeration can lead to more sophisticated social engineering campaigns.
The vulnerability affects multiple Mendix versions including V3.7.0 and earlier for Mendix 7 compatible modules, V4.1.0 and earlier for Mendix 8 compatible modules, and V5.1.0 and earlier for Mendix 9 compatible modules. This widespread impact across different Mendix versions indicates a fundamental flaw in the password recovery implementation that requires immediate attention from system administrators and security teams responsible for maintaining these applications. The response discrepancy typically manifests as different HTTP response times, error messages, or status codes when processing password reset requests for legitimate versus non-existent accounts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-27464 should focus on implementing consistent response handling across all password recovery operations, ensuring that the system provides identical responses regardless of whether the requested account exists in the database. Organizations should update to the patched versions V3.7.1, V4.1.1, and V5.1.1 respectively for their respective Mendix versions. Additionally, implementing rate limiting and account lockout mechanisms can help reduce the effectiveness of enumeration attacks while maintaining proper security controls. Security teams should also consider implementing additional monitoring for anomalous authentication patterns and ensure that all password recovery mechanisms follow secure coding practices that prevent timing attacks and information leakage through response differences.