CVE-2024-23116 in Centreon
Summary
by MITRE • 04/02/2024
Centreon updateLCARelation SQL Injection Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of Centreon. Authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability.
The specific flaw exists within the updateLCARelation function. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of a user-supplied string before using it to construct SQL queries. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the service account. Was ZDI-CAN-22296.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/07/2025
The CVE-2024-23116 vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in Centreon's updateLCARelation function that enables remote code execution through SQL injection techniques. This vulnerability specifically targets the web-based management interface of Centreon monitoring solutions, which are widely deployed in enterprise environments for network and system monitoring. The flaw resides in how the application processes user input when constructing database queries, creating an avenue for malicious actors to manipulate the underlying database operations. The vulnerability requires authentication to exploit, meaning that an attacker must first establish valid credentials before attempting to leverage this weakness, though this does not significantly reduce the overall risk given that Centreon installations often have multiple administrative accounts and credential management practices that may be insufficient. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the application's data processing pipeline, where user-supplied parameters are directly incorporated into SQL command construction without proper escaping or parameterization techniques.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of the updateLCARelation function which handles relationship updates between monitoring components within the Centreon environment. When an authenticated user submits specific input parameters to this function, the application fails to properly validate or sanitize the data before incorporating it into database queries. This allows attackers to inject malicious SQL code that can be executed within the database context, potentially enabling full system compromise. The vulnerability falls under CWE-89 which specifically addresses SQL injection flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploitation of remote services through SQL injection. The impact of successful exploitation extends beyond simple data manipulation as attackers can execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the service account running the Centreon application, which typically operates with elevated permissions to access system resources and perform administrative functions. This elevation of privilege significantly increases the potential damage that can be achieved, as the compromised service account may have access to sensitive monitoring data, system configurations, and network infrastructure information.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-23116 is substantial for organizations relying on Centreon for their monitoring infrastructure, as this vulnerability can lead to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to critical network monitoring data. Attackers can leverage this weakness to establish persistent access, escalate privileges, and potentially move laterally within the network environment where Centreon is deployed. The vulnerability affects organizations that have not yet patched their Centreon installations, leaving them exposed to potential attacks from both internal and external threat actors. Organizations using Centreon for monitoring critical infrastructure components face significant risk, as the compromise of the monitoring system can result in undetected attacks and loss of visibility into their network operations. The requirement for authentication does not adequately protect against this threat since Centreon environments often suffer from weak credential management practices, default credentials, or credential reuse across multiple systems. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution flaw means that exploitation can occur without requiring physical access to the system, making it particularly dangerous for distributed monitoring environments where the Centreon server may be accessible from multiple network segments.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches to address the SQL injection vulnerability in the updateLCARelation function. The recommended approach involves updating to the latest Centreon version that includes proper input validation and parameterized query construction to prevent SQL injection attacks. Network segmentation should be implemented to limit access to Centreon systems, particularly restricting direct internet access to the monitoring interface. Additional defensive measures include implementing strong authentication controls such as multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts, regular credential rotation, and monitoring for suspicious activities in the Centreon logs. Security teams should also deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts and establish network-based controls to prevent unauthorized access to Centreon management interfaces. The vulnerability's classification as a remote code execution threat requires comprehensive monitoring of system integrity and network traffic patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of Centreon installations and ensure that all systems are updated to prevent exploitation of this critical flaw. The ATT&CK framework suggests implementing defensive measures such as input validation controls, database query parameterization, and access controls to prevent unauthorized code execution in the context of the service account, which is particularly important given that the vulnerability allows execution with elevated privileges.