CVE-2024-0795 in anything-llm
Summary
by MITRE • 03/03/2024
If an attacked was given access to an instance with the admin or manager role there is no backend authentication that would prevent the attacked from creating a new user with an `admin` role and then be able to use this new account to have elevated privileges on the instance
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical authorization flaw that undermines the fundamental security model of privileged access control within the affected system. The issue stems from a complete absence of backend authentication checks when users with administrative or manager privileges attempt to create new user accounts. This design flaw creates a path for privilege escalation that directly violates the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a severe failure in the system's access control mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically affects instances where users already possess elevated privileges through admin or manager roles, making it particularly dangerous in environments where such accounts may be compromised.
The technical implementation of this flaw allows an attacker with existing administrative access to bypass all normal user creation restrictions and role assignment controls. When a user with manager or admin privileges creates a new account, the system fails to validate whether the new user is being assigned a role that would grant them elevated permissions. This missing validation step creates a backdoor that enables attackers to create additional administrative accounts without proper authorization checks, effectively granting them persistent access to the system. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and demonstrates a failure in the system's role-based access control (RBAC) implementation, which is classified under CWE-284 Access Control Flaws.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond the immediate privilege escalation capability. Attackers can leverage this flaw to establish persistent access points within the system, creating accounts that can be used for continued unauthorized access even if their original administrative credentials are discovered or rotated. This persistence mechanism significantly increases the attack surface and allows for long-term access to sensitive system resources. The vulnerability also undermines audit and monitoring capabilities since the new administrative accounts would appear as legitimate system users, making detection more challenging. According to the ATT&CK framework, this represents a privilege escalation technique under the T1068 privilege escalation tactic, specifically targeting the creation of new accounts to maintain access.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust backend authentication controls that validate all user creation requests regardless of the requesting user's privileges. The system must enforce strict role assignment policies that prevent any user from creating accounts with administrative privileges without proper authorization and approval processes. Organizations should implement additional controls such as requiring multi-factor authentication for account creation, establishing audit trails for all user creation activities, and implementing automated monitoring for suspicious account creation patterns. The solution must address the root cause by ensuring that role assignment validation occurs at the backend level, preventing any bypass of authorization controls. Regular security assessments should verify that all administrative functions properly enforce access controls and that no similar authorization gaps exist in the system's user management processes.