CVE-2024-2389 in Flowmon
Summary
by MITRE • 04/02/2024
In Flowmon versions prior to 11.1.14 and 12.3.3, an operating system command injection vulnerability has been identified. An unauthenticated user can gain entry to the system via the Flowmon management interface, allowing for the execution of arbitrary system commands.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/16/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2024-2389 represents a critical operating system command injection flaw within Flowmon network monitoring software. This security weakness affects versions prior to 11.1.14 and 12.3.3, creating a significant risk for organizations relying on Flowmon for network traffic analysis and security monitoring. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the Flowmon management interface, where user-supplied data is directly incorporated into system commands without proper security controls. This architectural flaw allows attackers to manipulate the system by injecting malicious commands through the web interface, potentially compromising the entire network monitoring infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-77, which categorizes command injection flaws as a serious weakness in software systems. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability without authentication requirements, making it particularly dangerous as it eliminates the need for initial access credentials. The flowmon management interface serves as the attack vector where unvalidated user input is processed and executed as system commands, enabling adversaries to perform arbitrary code execution on the underlying operating system. This type of vulnerability creates a persistent backdoor that can be leveraged for reconnaissance, privilege escalation, and data exfiltration activities.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-2389 extends beyond immediate system compromise, as it fundamentally undermines the security posture of organizations using Flowmon solutions. Network monitoring systems are often considered trusted components within security infrastructures, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for attackers following the MITRE ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and persistence techniques. Once exploited, attackers can gain full control over the Flowmon appliance, potentially accessing sensitive network traffic data, modifying monitoring configurations, or using the compromised system as a launching point for further attacks against the broader network. The vulnerability also affects the integrity of network monitoring data, which could be manipulated or corrupted to hide malicious activities.
Organizations must implement immediate mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability, beginning with updating Flowmon software to versions 11.1.14 or 12.3.3 where the issue has been resolved. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the Flowmon management interface to trusted networks only. Additional defensive measures include monitoring for suspicious command execution patterns, implementing web application firewalls to detect injection attempts, and conducting regular security assessments of network monitoring infrastructure. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation and secure coding practices as outlined in OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity guidelines, emphasizing that all user inputs must be properly sanitized before being processed by system commands.