CVE-2023-42954 in FileMaker Server
Summary
by MITRE • 03/22/2024
A privilege escalation issue existed in FileMaker Server, potentially exposing sensitive information to front-end websites when signed in to the Admin Console with an administrator role. This issue has been fixed in FileMaker Server 20.3.1 by reducing the information sent in requests.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/10/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-42954 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within FileMaker Server that undermines the security boundaries between administrative functions and front-end web interfaces. This issue specifically affects users who authenticate to the FileMaker Server Admin Console with administrator privileges, creating a dangerous exposure where sensitive administrative information could be inadvertently transmitted to web clients. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and information disclosure mechanisms within the server's communication protocols, allowing unauthorized data leakage through the administrative interface. Security researchers identified that the flaw existed in the way FileMaker Server handled request processing and data transmission when administrative users accessed the console, creating a pathway for sensitive information to flow to front-end websites without proper authorization checks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through the improper handling of administrative session data and request routing within FileMaker Server's web infrastructure. When administrators interact with the Admin Console, the system fails to adequately sanitize or restrict the information flow between the backend administrative components and the frontend web interfaces. This misconfiguration allows for potential information leakage where administrative session tokens, configuration details, user management data, or other sensitive administrative information could be exposed to unauthorized web clients. The flaw operates at the application layer and specifically affects the server's ability to maintain proper security boundaries between authenticated administrative sessions and public web-facing interfaces. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, Information Exposure, and potentially CWE-284, Improper Access Control, as it enables unauthorized information disclosure through improper privilege management.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-42954 extends beyond simple information disclosure to create potential vectors for further attacks and system compromise. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain access to administrative credentials, system configurations, user data, or other sensitive information that would normally be restricted to authorized administrators only. This exposure creates opportunities for lateral movement within network environments, credential theft, and potential full system compromise. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on FileMaker Server for database management and administrative functions, particularly those with web-facing applications that interact with FileMaker's administrative interfaces. Organizations may experience regulatory compliance violations, data breaches, and reputational damage if this vulnerability is exploited, as it violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and proper access control enforcement. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this issue under T1078 Valid Accounts and T1566 Phishing, as it enables adversaries to leverage administrative credentials and information to conduct more sophisticated attacks.
FileMaker Server version 20.3.1 addressed this vulnerability through comprehensive request filtering and information sanitization measures that reduce the data transmitted during administrative sessions. The fix implements stricter access controls and ensures that only appropriate administrative information is shared with web interfaces, preventing the leakage of sensitive data to unauthorized front-end websites. Organizations should immediately apply this patch to their FileMaker Server installations to remediate the vulnerability and restore proper security boundaries. Security teams should also conduct comprehensive audits of their FileMaker Server configurations to identify any potential unauthorized access or data exposure that may have occurred prior to patching. Additionally, implementing network monitoring and intrusion detection systems can help identify any exploitation attempts or unusual data flows that may indicate successful exploitation of this vulnerability. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be performed to ensure that similar issues do not exist in other components of the FileMaker ecosystem or related applications.