CVE-2024-27140 in Archiva
Summary
by MITRE • 03/01/2024
** UNSUPPORTED WHEN ASSIGNED ** Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') vulnerability in Apache Archiva. This issue affects Apache Archiva: from 2.0.0. As this project is retired, we do not plan to release a version that fixes this issue. Users are recommended to find an alternative or restrict access to the instance to trusted users. Alternatively, you could configure a HTTP proxy in front of your Archiva instance to only forward requests that do not have malicious characters in the URL. NOTE: This vulnerability only affects products that are no longer supported by the maintainer.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/18/2025
The CVE-2024-27140 vulnerability represents a classic cross-site scripting flaw that emerged in Apache Archiva, a widely used repository manager for managing artifacts in software development environments. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-79 category, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of input during web page generation, making it a prime example of how insecure input handling can lead to severe security consequences in web applications. The flaw affects Apache Archiva versions starting from 2.0.0, indicating that this vulnerability has been present for several years and has likely been exploited in various environments where the software was deployed.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly sanitize user input before incorporating it into dynamically generated web pages. When users interact with the Archiva interface or submit requests containing malicious payloads, the system does not adequately neutralize potentially harmful characters or code sequences that could be executed in the context of other users' browsers. This creates an environment where attackers can inject malicious scripts that execute in the victim's browser, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or other malicious activities. The vulnerability's classification as a reflected XSS issue means that the malicious script is embedded in the URL or request parameters and executed when a user accesses a maliciously crafted link.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can compromise the integrity of entire software development environments where Archiva serves as a central repository for artifacts. Organizations using this software may find their build processes and artifact management systems at risk, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive development artifacts, source code, or configuration information. The vulnerability's exploitation could result in complete compromise of the repository, allowing attackers to manipulate or steal artifacts, potentially affecting downstream build processes and deployment pipelines. Given that this vulnerability affects a repository management system, the potential for supply chain attacks becomes significant, as compromised artifacts could be distributed to multiple downstream systems.
The vulnerability's remediation strategy is complicated by the fact that Apache Archiva is no longer maintained or supported by its developers, creating a situation where organizations cannot receive official patches or updates to address the issue. This scenario exemplifies the risks associated with using deprecated software in production environments and highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices. Organizations are advised to implement alternative solutions or restrict access to trusted users only, which aligns with the ATT&CK framework's mitigation strategies for web application vulnerabilities. The recommendation to configure HTTP proxies to filter malicious characters from URLs represents a defensive measure that can help reduce the attack surface, though it does not fully address the root cause of the vulnerability. This approach demonstrates the importance of network-level protections and defensive programming practices in environments where software cannot be updated or patched.
The broader implications of this vulnerability underscore the critical need for organizations to maintain awareness of software lifecycle management and security support status. When software reaches end-of-life or is no longer supported, it becomes increasingly vulnerable to exploitation as new attack vectors are discovered and developed. The situation with Apache Archiva serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of relying on unsupported software in production environments and emphasizes the importance of proactive migration planning and security monitoring. Organizations should implement robust inventory management practices to identify and phase out unsupported software components, particularly those serving critical infrastructure functions such as repository management systems that handle sensitive development artifacts and configuration data.