CVE-2024-2244 in Asset Suite EAM
Summary
by MITRE • 03/27/2024
REST service authentication anomaly with “valid username/no password” credential combination for batch job processing resulting in successful service invocation. The anomaly doesn’t exist with other credential combinations.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical authentication flaw in a restful service architecture that specifically affects batch job processing workflows. The issue manifests when a valid username is provided without a corresponding password, yet the system still grants successful access to the service endpoints. This authentication anomaly creates a significant security gap where unauthorized access can occur through a specific credential pattern that should normally be rejected by standard authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within the batch job processing context, which typically involves automated, high-volume operations that could be exploited for data exfiltration, system manipulation, or denial of service attacks.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper authentication validation logic that fails to enforce password requirements for valid usernames. This flaw likely exists in the service's authentication middleware or gateway component where credential validation occurs. According to CWE-287, this represents an improper authentication vulnerability where the system accepts insufficient authentication credentials. The authentication flow appears to have a conditional logic error where valid usernames are accepted without proper password verification, creating an authentication bypass scenario. The service architecture probably implements a username-only validation path that does not adequately verify the authenticity of the user identity before granting access to batch processing capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential system compromise through batch job manipulation. Attackers could leverage this weakness to submit malicious batch jobs, access sensitive data through batch processing endpoints, or disrupt normal operations by overwhelming the system with unauthorized requests. The batch job processing context amplifies the risk because these operations often involve large data sets and may have elevated privileges. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 which covers valid accounts used for lateral movement and privilege escalation, as the valid username can be used to access system resources that should be restricted. The specific nature of batch processing also makes this vulnerable to abuse for data manipulation or exfiltration attacks.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing comprehensive authentication validation that enforces password requirements for all valid usernames, regardless of the authentication method used. The service should be configured to reject any authentication attempt that does not provide complete credential information, including proper password validation for all authenticated users. Security controls should include mandatory password requirements, session management improvements, and logging of all authentication attempts for monitoring purposes. Organizations should also implement rate limiting and anomaly detection mechanisms to identify unusual batch job submission patterns. The fix should involve updating the authentication service to enforce proper credential validation logic and ensure that all valid usernames must be accompanied by valid passwords before granting access to batch processing functions. Additionally, implementing multi-factor authentication for batch job processing access would provide additional protection against this specific vulnerability pattern.