CVE-2024-41671 in Twisted
Summary
by MITRE • 07/29/2024
Twisted is an event-based framework for internet applications, supporting Python 3.6+. The HTTP 1.0 and 1.1 server provided by twisted.web could process pipelined HTTP requests out-of-order, possibly resulting in information disclosure. This vulnerability is fixed in 24.7.0rc1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/26/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-41671 affects the Twisted Python framework, specifically its HTTP 1.0 and 1.1 server implementation within the twisted.web module. This represents a significant security concern for applications relying on Twisted's networking capabilities, as it exposes systems to potential information disclosure risks through improper handling of HTTP request processing. The issue stems from the framework's inability to maintain proper order when processing pipelined HTTP requests, which are multiple HTTP requests sent over a single connection without waiting for responses. This flaw creates an environment where sensitive data could be inadvertently exposed to unauthorized parties due to the out-of-order processing behavior. The vulnerability impacts all versions of Twisted prior to 24.7.0rc1, making it a critical concern for organizations maintaining older deployments of the framework.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the HTTP server's request processing logic within Twisted's web module. When multiple HTTP requests are sent in a pipeline, the server should process them sequentially according to their arrival order to maintain data integrity and prevent cross-contamination of request contexts. However, the flawed implementation allows requests to be processed out-of-order, potentially causing response data from one request to be incorrectly associated with another. This misordering can result in sensitive information from one client's request being returned in response to another client's request, effectively creating a data leakage scenario. The issue specifically affects the HTTP 1.0 and 1.1 protocol implementations within the framework's web server component, making it particularly relevant for applications that utilize pipelining for performance optimization. This behavior violates fundamental HTTP protocol expectations and creates opportunities for attackers to exploit the improper request handling for information disclosure purposes.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-41671 extends beyond simple data leakage, as it fundamentally undermines the security model of HTTP servers built on the Twisted framework. Applications that process sensitive information, such as user credentials, personal data, or business-critical information, become vulnerable to cross-request contamination that could expose confidential data to other users or attackers monitoring network traffic. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where HTTP pipelining is actively used for performance optimization, as this increases the probability of encountering the flawed behavior. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness by crafting specific HTTP request sequences that take advantage of the out-of-order processing to extract sensitive information from other users' requests. The impact is exacerbated in scenarios where the affected applications handle authentication tokens, session data, or other context-sensitive information that could be inadvertently exposed through the misordered response handling. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-1249, which addresses improper handling of pipelined HTTP requests, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in HTTP server implementations.
Organizations should immediately prioritize upgrading their Twisted framework installations to version 24.7.0rc1 or later to remediate this vulnerability. The upgrade process should include thorough testing of existing applications to ensure compatibility with the fixed implementation and verify that the HTTP request processing behavior has been corrected. System administrators should also implement monitoring to detect any unusual HTTP request patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while network security teams should review firewall rules and access controls to limit exposure. Additionally, organizations should conduct vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected versions of Twisted and prioritize remediation efforts based on the criticality of the applications involved. The fix addresses the core issue by implementing proper ordering mechanisms for pipelined HTTP requests, ensuring that each request is processed in the correct sequence and that response data is properly associated with the originating request. This remediation aligns with security best practices for HTTP server implementations and helps prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in the future. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as request/response validation, connection monitoring, and access logging to provide defense-in-depth against potential exploitation attempts.