CVE-2024-27915 in sulu
Summary
by MITRE • 03/06/2024
Sulu is a PHP content management system. Starting in verson 2.2.0 and prior to version 2.4.17 and 2.5.13, access to pages is granted regardless of role permissions for webspaces which have a security system configured and permission check enabled. Webspaces without do not have this issue. The problem is patched in versions 2.4.17 and 2.5.13. Some workarounds are available. One may apply the patch to `vendor/symfony/security-http/HttpUtils.php` manually or avoid installing `symfony/security-http` versions greater equal than `v5.4.30` or `v6.3.6`.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/09/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2024-27915 affects Sulu CMS versions 2.2.0 through 2.4.16 and 2.5.12 and below, representing a critical access control flaw that undermines the security of web content management systems. This issue specifically targets webspaces within Sulu that have security systems configured with permission checks enabled, creating a scenario where authenticated users can bypass role-based access controls to view pages they should not have access to. The flaw does not affect webspaces without security configurations, which provides some limited scope for understanding the vulnerability's impact. The root cause stems from improper handling of access permissions within the CMS's security framework, allowing unauthorized information disclosure through content access bypass.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a flaw in how Sulu processes role-based permissions for webspaces with security configurations enabled. When a user attempts to access content within a secured webservice, the system fails to properly validate whether the user's role permissions should grant access to that specific content. This represents a classic authorization bypass vulnerability, classified under CWE-285 Access Control Flaw, where the application does not properly enforce access restrictions. The issue manifests in the interaction between Sulu's CMS security layer and the underlying Symfony security-http component, specifically affecting versions where the permission checking mechanism was not properly implemented or validated. The vulnerability demonstrates how complex security frameworks can introduce subtle flaws that allow attackers to escalate privileges or access restricted content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it potentially allows attackers to access sensitive content that should only be visible to authorized users within specific roles. This could include confidential business information, internal documentation, user data, or other restricted content that organizations rely on Sulu to protect. The vulnerability affects organizations that have configured security systems within their Sulu installations, making it particularly concerning for enterprises that depend on role-based access controls for content management. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to pages, potentially leading to data breaches, information leakage, or other security incidents that could compromise the confidentiality and integrity of the managed content. The vulnerability's impact is directly proportional to the number of webspaces with security configurations enabled, making it a significant concern for organizations with multiple secured content areas.
Organizations affected by CVE-2024-27915 should immediately implement the official patches released in versions 2.4.17 and 2.5.13, which address the core authorization bypass issue. Security teams should also consider the suggested workarounds, including manual patching of the vendor/symfony/security-http/HttpUtils.php file or avoiding installation of specific Symfony security-http versions that contain the vulnerable code. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce regressions in other functionality, particularly around authentication and authorization flows. Organizations should also conduct thorough access control reviews to identify any unauthorized access that may have occurred while the vulnerability was present, and implement monitoring for suspicious access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, security teams should evaluate their overall security posture and ensure that all dependencies are regularly updated to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. This vulnerability highlights the importance of proper access control implementation and the need for thorough security testing of content management systems, particularly those that handle sensitive information and require robust user permission controls.