CVE-2024-10033 in Ansible Automation Platform
Summary
by MITRE • 10/16/2024
A vulnerability was found in aap-gateway. A Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability exists in the gateway component. This flaw allows a malicious user to perform actions that impact users by using the "?next=" in a URL, which can lead to redirecting, injecting malicious script, stealing sessions and data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-10033 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the aap-gateway component that exposes users to significant security risks. This vulnerability specifically manifests through the manipulation of the "?next=" parameter in URLs, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's trust model and execute unauthorized actions against legitimate users. The affected gateway component serves as a critical entry point for user authentication and session management, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can compromise the entire user access control mechanism.
The technical implementation of this XSS vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the gateway's URL parameter handling. When users are redirected through the gateway with a "?next=" parameter containing malicious content, the system fails to properly sanitize or escape the input before processing or rendering it in the user context. This allows attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the victim's browser within the context of the vulnerable application. The flaw operates at the application layer and can be exploited through various vectors including crafted URLs, malicious redirects, or social engineering techniques that trick users into clicking compromised links.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection to encompass full session hijacking capabilities and comprehensive user data theft. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to redirect users to malicious domains while maintaining session integrity, effectively stealing authentication cookies and session tokens that grant unauthorized access to user accounts. The vulnerability also enables the injection of malicious payloads that can harvest sensitive information such as personal data, credentials, and confidential communications. Furthermore, the redirect functionality can be exploited to create persistent phishing attacks or to establish command and control channels for further exploitation, making this vulnerability a significant threat to user privacy and system integrity.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-10033 must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms that sanitize all URL parameters, particularly those used for redirection purposes. The gateway component must enforce strict validation of the next parameter to ensure it only accepts trusted domains and properly encodes any dynamic content before rendering. This aligns with CWE-79 which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities and recommends proper input sanitization and output encoding as primary defenses. Additionally, implementing a robust content security policy and using secure redirect mechanisms that validate target URLs against a whitelist can significantly reduce the attack surface. The mitigation approach should also consider adopting the principle of least privilege for redirect operations and implementing proper session management controls to prevent session hijacking attacks. Organizations should conduct thorough security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing to identify similar vulnerabilities in related components and ensure comprehensive protection against this class of attack.
The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1531 which involves the use of malicious redirects and T1566 which covers social engineering tactics. This aligns with industry best practices for secure coding and emphasizes the importance of validating all user inputs and implementing proper output encoding to prevent XSS vulnerabilities. Organizations should prioritize this vulnerability for immediate remediation given its potential for session hijacking and data theft, particularly in environments where the gateway component handles sensitive user authentication flows.