CVE-2024-25864 in Friendica
Summary
by MITRE • 04/03/2024
Server Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability in Friendica versions after v.2023.12, allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code and obtain sensitive information via the fpostit.php component.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/09/2025
The CVE-2024-25864 vulnerability represents a critical server side request forgery flaw discovered in Friendica social networking software versions beyond v.2023.12. This vulnerability resides within the fpostit.php component and presents a significant security risk that can be exploited by remote attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive system information and potentially execute arbitrary code. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly restrict outbound requests from the affected server, creating an attack surface where malicious actors can manipulate the application's behavior to interact with internal systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows an attacker to craft malicious requests that bypass normal access controls and routing restrictions. When the fpostit.php component processes user-supplied input without proper validation, it can be coerced into making HTTP requests to arbitrary destinations including internal network resources that should normally be inaccessible from the internet. This behavior aligns with the common patterns identified in CWE-918, which categorizes server-side request forgery vulnerabilities as weaknesses where applications fail to properly validate and restrict outbound requests. The vulnerability's classification under the broader category of insecure direct object references and improper input validation makes it particularly dangerous as it can potentially expose internal network infrastructure and sensitive data repositories.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to encompass potential complete system compromise. Attackers leveraging this flaw can enumerate internal services, access sensitive configuration files, and potentially escalate privileges through the exploitation of other vulnerabilities within the internal network. The remote execution capability means that attackers do not require physical access to the network and can operate entirely from external positions. This vulnerability directly maps to several tactics and techniques outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly focusing on initial access through web application attacks and privilege escalation via internal network reconnaissance. The affected Friendica installations become potential entry points for more sophisticated attacks targeting the broader network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-25864 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Friendica installations to versions that address the input validation issues in the fpostit.php component. Organizations should implement network-level restrictions including firewall rules that prevent outbound requests to internal network segments from web applications and establish proper input sanitization mechanisms that validate all user-supplied data before processing. The implementation of a web application firewall with rules specifically designed to detect and block suspicious request patterns can provide additional protection layers. Regular security assessments and code reviews should focus on identifying similar input validation weaknesses across other application components, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of comprehensive security controls throughout the application lifecycle. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation strategies to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts and establish monitoring procedures to detect anomalous outbound network activity that might indicate exploitation attempts.