CVE-2024-23790 in OTRS
Summary
by MITRE • 01/29/2024
Improper Input Validation vulnerability in the upload functionality for user avatars allows functionality misuse due to missing check of filetypes. This issue affects OTRS: from 7.0.X through 7.0.48, from 8.0.X through 8.0.37, from 2023 through 2023.1.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/21/2024
The CVE-2024-23790 vulnerability represents a critical improper input validation flaw within the user avatar upload functionality of OTRS software systems. This weakness stems from the absence of proper filetype validation mechanisms during the file upload process, creating a significant security gap that adversaries can exploit to manipulate system behavior. The vulnerability specifically targets the avatar upload feature, which is a common user interface element designed to allow individuals to personalize their accounts with profile images. However, the lack of comprehensive input validation means that malicious actors can upload files with potentially harmful extensions or content types that should normally be restricted or rejected by the system.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation as a fundamental weakness in software security where applications fail to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied data. In the context of OTRS, this manifests as insufficient checks on file extensions, MIME types, or content signatures during the avatar upload process. The affected versions span across multiple major releases including 7.0.X through 7.0.48, 8.0.X through 8.0.37, and the 2023 through 2023.1.1 series, indicating this is a widespread issue affecting the platform's user management capabilities. Attackers could potentially exploit this by uploading malicious files such as php, aspx, or other executable scripts that might be processed by the web server, leading to remote code execution or other malicious activities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple functionality misuse, creating potential pathways for more severe security breaches within OTRS environments. According to ATT&CK framework category T1190, adversaries can leverage such upload vulnerabilities to establish persistent access or execute malicious code on target systems. The consequences include but are not limited to unauthorized access to user accounts, potential data exfiltration, system compromise through file execution, and disruption of service availability. Organizations using affected OTRS versions face increased risk of attackers uploading malicious content that could be executed when the avatar is displayed or processed by the system, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability's presence across multiple release series suggests that organizations may need to assess their entire deployment landscape to identify all potentially affected systems.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate implementation of proper filetype validation controls within the avatar upload functionality. Security measures must include strict validation of file extensions against a whitelist of approved formats, comprehensive MIME type checking, and content-based verification using file signature analysis. Organizations should also implement proper access controls and file storage segregation to limit the impact of any successful exploitation attempts. The remediation process requires updating to patched versions of OTRS software where available, implementing additional input sanitization measures, and conducting thorough security reviews of all file upload functionality within the platform. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be performed to ensure that similar validation gaps do not exist in other system components, as this vulnerability represents a common attack surface that requires continuous monitoring and protection measures.