CVE-2024-20759 in Commerce
Summary
by MITRE • 04/10/2024
Adobe Commerce versions 2.4.6-p4, 2.4.5-p6, 2.4.4-p7, 2.4.7-beta3 and earlier are affected by a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability that could be abused by a high-privileged attacker to inject malicious scripts into vulnerable form fields. Malicious JavaScript may be executed in a victim’s browser when they browse to the page containing the vulnerable field. Confidentiality and integrity are considered high due to having admin impact.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/07/2025
Adobe Commerce versions 2.4.6-p4, 2.4.5-p6, 2.4.4-p7, 2.4.7-beta3 and earlier contain a stored cross-site scripting vulnerability classified as CVE-2024-20759 that represents a significant security risk to organizations utilizing this e-commerce platform. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category of Cross-Site Scripting, specifically manifesting as a stored XSS flaw that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into form fields within the application's administrative interface. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only a high-privileged attacker to exploit, meaning that an attacker who has already gained administrative access or can escalate privileges within the system can leverage this weakness to persistently inject malicious code. The stored nature of this vulnerability means that the injected scripts are saved within the application's database or storage mechanisms, making them persistent across multiple user sessions and browser visits. When legitimate users browse to pages containing the vulnerable form fields, their browsers execute the malicious JavaScript code, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data, session hijacking, or further exploitation of the compromised system. The impact assessment indicates high confidentiality and integrity risks due to the administrative implications of this vulnerability, as it could enable attackers to manipulate critical system functions and access sensitive information through the compromised administrative interface. The vulnerability's severity is amplified by the fact that it operates within the administrative context of the platform, potentially allowing attackers to modify product catalogs, customer data, payment information, or system configurations. Organizations using these affected Adobe Commerce versions face a substantial risk of data breaches, unauthorized modifications, and potential full system compromise if this vulnerability is exploited. The attack surface extends beyond simple script execution to include potential privilege escalation, data exfiltration, and persistent backdoor establishment within the e-commerce environment. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, and represents a critical point of entry for attackers seeking to maintain persistent access to compromised systems. The administrative context of the vulnerability means that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise, as attackers could manipulate core platform functionality, access sensitive data, or establish persistent malicious presence within the organization's e-commerce infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this stored XSS vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and output encoding within the administrative form processing components of Adobe Commerce. Attackers can exploit this weakness by submitting malicious JavaScript code through form fields that are subsequently stored in the system's database without proper sanitization. When the system retrieves and displays these stored values in administrative interfaces, the malicious scripts execute in the context of legitimate users' browsers, bypassing standard security controls. The vulnerability demonstrates poor security practices in data sanitization, where user-supplied input is not properly escaped or validated before being rendered in the browser context. This weakness allows attackers to inject scripts that can access cookies, session tokens, or other sensitive data stored in the browser, potentially leading to session hijacking or unauthorized access to administrative functions. The stored nature of the vulnerability means that the malicious code persists even after the initial injection, making it particularly dangerous as it can affect multiple users over extended periods. Organizations should recognize that this vulnerability represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's security architecture, particularly in how it handles user input within administrative contexts where privilege levels are high. The implications extend to potential data integrity violations, as attackers could modify product information, pricing, or customer data in ways that could impact business operations and customer trust. The vulnerability's classification as high-impact is justified by the combination of its persistence, the privileged context in which it operates, and the potential for cascading effects throughout the entire e-commerce platform. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability as a critical indicator of broader security weaknesses in the application's input handling mechanisms, potentially exposing other areas of the platform to similar risks.
Organizations should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to address CVE-2024-20759, beginning with urgent patching of all affected Adobe Commerce versions to the latest available releases. The most effective immediate response involves applying the vendor-provided security patches that address the specific input validation and output encoding flaws within the administrative form processing components. System administrators should also implement additional protective measures including enhanced input validation at multiple layers, strict output encoding for all administrative interface elements, and regular security scanning of stored data for malicious content. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect potential exploitation attempts through unusual data submissions or patterns that may indicate XSS injection attempts. The administrative interface should be hardened through access controls, including multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts, regular credential rotation, and implementation of least privilege principles. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments to identify any potential exploitation that may have already occurred, including reviewing system logs for unusual activity and checking stored data for signs of malicious injection. Regular security training for administrative users should emphasize the importance of identifying and reporting suspicious activities, particularly in administrative interfaces where this vulnerability operates. The mitigation approach should also include implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block common XSS attack patterns, along with regular penetration testing to verify that the implemented controls are effective against this specific vulnerability. Organizations should also establish incident response procedures specifically tailored to address potential XSS exploitation, including clear protocols for identifying compromised systems, containing the threat, and restoring affected services. The security posture should be continuously monitored for signs of persistent malicious activity that may result from successful exploitation of this vulnerability, with particular attention to administrative interface access patterns and data modification activities.