CVE-2024-4056 in Server
Summary
by MITRE • 04/26/2024
Denial of service condition in M-Files Server in versions before 24.4.13592.4 and after 23.11 (excluding 24.2 LTS) allows unauthenticated user to consume computing resources.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-4056 represents a denial of service condition affecting M-Files Server software across specific version ranges. This security flaw impacts systems running versions prior to 24.4.13592.4 and after 23.11, with the notable exclusion of the 24.2 LTS release line. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to exploit computational resource consumption patterns that can lead to system degradation or complete service unavailability. This issue stems from insufficient input validation and resource management within the server's processing mechanisms, creating an avenue for malicious actors to exhaust system resources without requiring authentication credentials.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of resource consumption patterns within the M-Files Server application. Attackers can craft specific requests that trigger excessive processing cycles or memory allocation patterns that cause the server to consume disproportionate computational resources. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which categorizes "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" as a significant weakness in software systems. The flaw operates by bypassing normal authentication mechanisms and leveraging the server's response handling to create resource exhaustion conditions through carefully constructed input sequences. The attack vector typically involves sending malformed or specially crafted requests that cause the server to enter resource-intensive processing loops or allocate excessive memory without proper bounds checking.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-4056 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise business continuity and operational efficiency. Organizations relying on M-Files Server for document management and collaboration may experience significant downtime as the vulnerability allows unauthenticated users to consume CPU cycles, memory, and other system resources. This can result in degraded performance, application timeouts, and complete service outages that affect productivity and user access to critical document management systems. The vulnerability's unauthenticated nature makes it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by anyone with network access to the affected server, without requiring any prior credentials or privileged access. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1499.004 which covers "Endpoint Denial of Service" and represents a critical threat to system availability and operational resilience.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-4056 should prioritize immediate application of the vendor-provided security patches and updates. Organizations must ensure all M-Files Server installations are updated to version 24.4.13592.4 or later, while also implementing network-level controls to restrict access to the server. Firewall rules should be configured to limit exposure of the server to trusted networks only, and monitoring systems should be deployed to detect unusual resource consumption patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation can help contain the impact of potential exploitation by isolating the affected server from critical business systems. Additionally, implementing rate limiting and resource monitoring mechanisms can provide early detection of abnormal behavior and help prevent complete service exhaustion. Organizations should also conduct thorough testing of the patches in non-production environments before deployment to ensure compatibility with existing configurations and workflows. The vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing robust monitoring practices to detect and respond to potential exploitation attempts before they can cause significant operational disruption.