CVE-2023-42481 in Commerce Cloud
Summary
by MITRE • 12/12/2023
In SAP Commerce Cloud - versions HY_COM 1905, HY_COM 2005, HY_COM2105, HY_COM 2011, HY_COM 2205, COM_CLOUD 2211, a locked B2B user can misuse the forgotten password functionality to un-block his user account again and re-gain access if SAP Commerce Cloud - Composable Storefront is used as storefront, due to weak access controls in place. This leads to a considerable impact on confidentiality and integrity.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-42481 affects SAP Commerce Cloud implementations across multiple versions including HY_COM 1905, HY_COM 2005, HY_COM 2105, HY_COM 2011, HY_COM 2205, and COM_CLOUD 2211. This security flaw specifically targets the authentication and authorization mechanisms within the platform's user account management system. The issue arises when a B2B user account is locked due to security policies or suspicious activity patterns, yet the system permits unauthorized account recovery through the forgotten password functionality. This represents a fundamental weakness in the platform's access control implementation that directly violates established security principles and standards such as those defined in CWE-284 Access Control.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the Composable Storefront component of SAP Commerce Cloud, where the authentication flow fails to properly validate whether a user account is genuinely locked before allowing password reset operations. When a locked B2B user attempts to use the forgotten password mechanism, the system incorrectly permits the account to be unblocked and reactivated without proper authorization checks. This flaw essentially creates a backdoor that bypasses the intended account lockout mechanisms, allowing malicious actors or compromised legitimate users to regain access to locked accounts. The vulnerability directly impacts the principle of least privilege and violates the security controls that should prevent unauthorized access to protected resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it compromises both confidentiality and integrity of the system. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can effectively circumvent account lockout policies designed to prevent brute force attacks, credential stuffing, or other malicious activities. The confidentiality aspect is compromised because unauthorized users can gain access to sensitive B2B data, customer information, and business-critical resources that should remain protected. Integrity is affected as the system's account management controls become ineffective, potentially allowing malicious modifications to user permissions, access rights, or data within the locked accounts. This vulnerability can be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where B2B users often have elevated privileges and access to critical business systems and data.
Organizations using SAP Commerce Cloud should immediately implement mitigations to address this vulnerability, including strengthening the authentication flow to ensure that account lockout status is properly validated before allowing password reset operations. The recommended approach involves enhancing access control mechanisms to enforce strict validation of account status during password recovery processes. Security teams should also consider implementing additional monitoring and alerting for suspicious authentication patterns, particularly around account unlock and password reset activities. Organizations should review their current access control policies and ensure that account lockout mechanisms are properly enforced across all storefront implementations. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts, as it exploits legitimate authentication mechanisms to gain unauthorized access, and T1566 Phishing, as it could potentially be exploited through social engineering attacks that target locked accounts. The fix should involve implementing proper account status verification before executing any password reset or account unlock operations, ensuring that locked accounts cannot be bypassed through the forgotten password functionality.