CVE-2024-23577 in Aftermarket EPC
Summary
by MITRE • 07/17/2026
HCL Aftermarket EPC is vulnerable since the application does not have a validation for HOST header and accepts arbitrary hosts when requested in http protocol. When an application doesn’t adequately validate or sanitize this header, it can lead to several security risks, including Host header poisoning, server misconfigurations.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/17/2026
The vulnerability in HCL Aftermarket EPC stems from insufficient validation of the HTTP Host header parameter within the application's request processing pipeline. This weakness allows malicious actors to inject arbitrary host values during HTTP communication, creating a fundamental security gap that can be exploited across multiple attack vectors. The absence of proper input sanitization and validation mechanisms for the HOST header creates an environment where attackers can manipulate the application's perception of its own hostname and domain configuration.
This specific vulnerability aligns with CWE-614, which categorizes insecure HTTP Host header usage as a significant security flaw in web applications. The root cause lies in the application's failure to implement proper host header validation during request processing, allowing unauthorized parties to inject malicious host values that bypass normal security controls. When an application accepts arbitrary hosts without verification, it essentially grants attackers the ability to manipulate the server's interpretation of its own identity within the network infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple misconfiguration risks and creates substantial attack surface opportunities for threat actors. Host header poisoning attacks can lead to session hijacking, cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, authentication bypass scenarios, and cache poisoning incidents that compromise user data integrity. Additionally, this weakness enables attackers to manipulate application behavior by injecting malicious host values that may cause the application to redirect users to phishing sites or execute unauthorized operations against internal systems.
Security frameworks such as the ATT&CK methodology classify this vulnerability under the initial access and persistence phases, where attackers can leverage host header manipulation to establish footholds within the target environment. The vulnerability creates opportunities for more sophisticated attacks including HTTP request smuggling, where attackers can manipulate how requests are processed by intermediate proxies or load balancers. Furthermore, the compromised application configuration can enable attackers to perform reconnaissance activities that reveal internal network topology and system configurations.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing strict host header validation mechanisms that verify incoming host values against a predetermined whitelist of approved domains and subdomains. The application must enforce proper input sanitization and reject any requests containing unexpected or unauthorized host headers. Security measures should include implementing Content Security Policy headers, configuring proper HTTP headers to prevent cache poisoning, and establishing robust logging mechanisms to detect suspicious host header usage patterns. Organizations should also consider deploying web application firewalls that can monitor and filter malicious host header values, while maintaining regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across their application portfolio.
The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in web application security architecture and highlights how seemingly minor configuration oversights can create substantial security risks. Proper implementation of host header validation not only prevents immediate exploitation but also strengthens overall application resilience against sophisticated attack methodologies that rely on manipulating core HTTP protocol elements to gain unauthorized access or control over network resources.