CVE-2024-28075 in Access Rights Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 05/14/2024
The SolarWinds Access Rights Manager was susceptible to Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows an authenticated user to abuse SolarWinds service resulting in remote code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/11/2025
The CVE-2024-28075 vulnerability represents a critical remote code execution flaw within SolarWinds Access Rights Manager, a privileged access management solution widely deployed in enterprise environments. This vulnerability exists within the SolarWinds service architecture and specifically targets the authentication and authorization mechanisms that govern access to critical system resources. The flaw enables an authenticated attacker to escalate their privileges and execute arbitrary code on the target system, effectively bypassing the security controls that the Access Rights Manager is designed to enforce. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the service's input validation and privilege management systems, creating a pathway for malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to sensitive network resources and potentially escalate their compromise to broader network infrastructure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of user inputs and insufficient access control enforcement within the SolarWinds service. An authenticated user, who already possesses legitimate credentials to access the system, can exploit a flaw in the service's processing logic to manipulate system behavior and execute malicious code. This represents a privilege escalation vulnerability that operates within the legitimate authentication framework, making detection and prevention particularly challenging. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple code execution as it undermines the core security principle of least privilege that the Access Rights Manager is intended to enforce. From a cybersecurity perspective, this flaw creates a dangerous situation where legitimate users can be weaponized to gain unauthorized access to systems they should not be able to reach, effectively neutralizing the security controls that organizations deploy to protect their most sensitive assets. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and CWE-79, which addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities that can be exploited for privilege escalation.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-28075 is severe and multifaceted, particularly given the critical role that Access Rights Manager plays in enterprise security infrastructure. Organizations using this solution face potential compromise of their privileged access controls, which could result in unauthorized access to critical network resources, data exfiltration, and lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability's ability to allow remote code execution means that attackers can install backdoors, modify system configurations, or exfiltrate sensitive data without detection. This threat is particularly concerning because the Access Rights Manager is designed to protect privileged accounts and access rights, making its compromise a significant security incident that could affect the entire organization's security posture. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to establish persistent access to the network, as the compromised service can be used as a foothold for further attacks. From an operational standpoint, the vulnerability undermines the trust that organizations place in their privileged access management systems and could result in regulatory compliance violations, financial losses, and reputational damage.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-28075 should include immediate patch deployment from SolarWinds, which addresses the underlying authentication and privilege escalation mechanisms. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to the Access Rights Manager service, reducing the potential impact of exploitation. Enhanced monitoring and logging should be implemented to detect anomalous authentication patterns or unusual code execution attempts on systems running the vulnerable service. Security teams should conduct thorough access reviews to ensure that only necessary users have access to the service, and implement multi-factor authentication where possible. The vulnerability highlights the importance of principle of least privilege enforcement and proper input validation in security-critical applications. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as application whitelisting, intrusion detection systems, and regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other critical systems. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques such as privilege escalation and execution through legitimate system processes, requiring defensive measures that focus on monitoring and controlling access to critical services. The incident underscores the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing comprehensive vulnerability management programs to prevent similar compromises in the future.