CVE-2024-0348 in Engineers Online Portal
Summary
by MITRE • 01/10/2024
A vulnerability was found in SourceCodester Engineers Online Portal 1.0. It has been classified as problematic. Affected is an unknown function of the component File Upload Handler. The manipulation leads to resource consumption. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. The identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-250116.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-0348 affects the SourceCodester Engineers Online Portal version 1.0, representing a significant security weakness in the file upload handling functionality. This issue falls under the category of resource consumption vulnerabilities, which can severely impact system performance and availability. The vulnerability exists within an unknown function of the File Upload Handler component, making it particularly dangerous as security teams cannot immediately identify the specific code path that enables the exploitation. The classification as problematic indicates that this vulnerability poses a genuine threat to system integrity and can be leveraged by malicious actors to compromise the affected system. The fact that this vulnerability has been publicly disclosed and is known to be exploitable means that threat actors have already developed techniques to exploit it, increasing the risk to organizations using this software.
The technical flaw manifests through resource consumption attacks that can be executed remotely, eliminating the need for physical access or local network presence. This remote exploit capability significantly broadens the attack surface and makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in internet-facing environments. The File Upload Handler component typically processes user-uploaded files and manages their storage and handling within the application. When this component fails to properly validate or limit resource usage during file processing, it creates opportunities for attackers to consume excessive system resources such as memory, CPU cycles, or disk space. The vulnerability's nature suggests it may involve improper handling of file sizes, processing loops, or lack of resource limits during file upload operations. This type of vulnerability is categorized under CWE-400 which specifically addresses "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" and represents a common attack vector that can lead to denial of service conditions.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-0348 extends beyond simple resource exhaustion, potentially leading to complete system unavailability and service disruption. Organizations running the affected Engineers Online Portal may experience degraded performance, application crashes, or complete system failures when attackers exploit this vulnerability. The remote nature of the attack means that organizations cannot rely on network segmentation or local access controls to prevent exploitation, as the vulnerability can be triggered from anywhere on the internet. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability and reliability of engineering portal services, potentially affecting project management, collaboration, and data processing capabilities that depend on this platform. The resource consumption aspect can also lead to cascading failures where the system becomes unresponsive to legitimate users while the malicious resource consumption continues. Given that the exploit is publicly available, organizations without proper mitigation measures face a high probability of successful attacks that could result in significant operational disruption and potential data loss.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-0348 should focus on both immediate protective measures and long-term architectural improvements. Organizations should implement strict file size limitations, enforce proper input validation on all uploaded files, and establish resource usage monitoring to detect abnormal consumption patterns. The implementation of rate limiting and file type restrictions can significantly reduce the attack surface while providing additional layers of protection. Security teams should also consider deploying web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious file upload attempts. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability aligns with techniques related to resource exhaustion and denial of service attacks, making it important to monitor for such activities within the network. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and authentication mechanisms to limit who can upload files to the system. Regular security updates and patches should be applied immediately upon availability, and the affected software should be monitored for additional vulnerabilities that may compound this issue. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and proper resource management in file handling components, particularly in web applications where user input processing is common.