CVE-2024-3448 in Mautic
Summary
by MITRE • 04/10/2024
Users with low privileges can perform certain AJAX actions. In this vulnerability instance, improper access to ajax?action=plugin:focus:checkIframeAvailability leads to a Server-Side Request Forgery by analyzing the error messages returned from the back-end. Allowing an attacker to perform a port scan in the back-end. At the time of publication of the CVE no patch is available.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/10/2024
This vulnerability resides in a web application's handling of AJAX requests where insufficient access controls permit low-privilege users to invoke administrative functions through the endpoint ajax?action=plugin:focus:checkIframeAvailability. The flaw represents a classic authorization bypass vulnerability that falls under CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization issues in web applications. The vulnerability enables attackers to manipulate the system's response handling by exploiting the error message disclosure mechanism that occurs when processing requests to this specific AJAX endpoint.
The technical exploitation occurs when an attacker sends crafted requests to the vulnerable endpoint, which then processes backend server requests without proper authentication verification. Through careful analysis of the error responses returned by the server, attackers can infer information about the internal network topology and perform port scanning activities against backend systems. This behavior constitutes a server-side request forgery vulnerability as defined by CWE-918, where the application inadvertently makes requests to internal resources that should be restricted from external access. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe because it allows for reconnaissance activities that can reveal internal network structure and potentially identify other vulnerable services running on the backend infrastructure.
The operational consequences of this vulnerability extend beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with the capability to map internal network services and potentially identify additional attack vectors. This reconnaissance capability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046, which covers network service scanning, and T1083, which addresses file and directory discovery. The lack of a patch at the time of CVE publication indicates that the vendor has not yet addressed the issue, leaving affected systems vulnerable to exploitation. The vulnerability's persistence is particularly concerning as it affects the fundamental access control mechanisms of the application, potentially allowing attackers to escalate their privileges or discover additional backend services that may be running on the same infrastructure.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement network segmentation controls to limit access to internal services and consider implementing additional authentication layers for AJAX endpoints. The absence of a patch requires organizations to deploy compensating controls such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious AJAX request patterns. Security monitoring should focus on identifying unusual error message patterns and anomalous request behaviors that may indicate port scanning activities. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and access control implementation in web applications, particularly for endpoints that handle administrative functions. Organizations should also conduct thorough security assessments to identify similar authorization bypass vulnerabilities in other AJAX endpoints and ensure that all backend service interactions are properly authenticated and authorized.