CVE-2024-49397 in M-Bus Metering Gateway CMe3100
Summary
by MITRE • 10/17/2024
The affected product is vulnerable to a cross-site scripting attack which may allow an attacker to bypass authentication and takeover admin accounts.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/04/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-49397 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw that exposes affected systems to sophisticated attack vectors capable of compromising administrative privileges. This weakness exists within the product's input validation mechanisms, specifically failing to properly sanitize user-supplied data before processing or rendering within web interfaces. The vulnerability manifests when malicious input is accepted through various entry points including form fields, URL parameters, or API endpoints, creating opportunities for attackers to inject malicious scripts that execute in the context of authenticated users' browsers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate output encoding and input sanitization practices within the application's web framework. Attackers can exploit this flaw by crafting malicious payloads that bypass existing security controls and authentication mechanisms. The XSS vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector where malicious scripts can manipulate session cookies, hijack user sessions, or redirect authenticated users to malicious sites. This particular weakness allows for privilege escalation attacks that can ultimately lead to complete administrative account takeover, as the injected scripts can execute with elevated privileges when operating within the context of administrative sessions.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-49397 extends far beyond simple data theft or defacement, as it provides attackers with direct access to critical administrative functions and sensitive system controls. Once an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can perform actions such as modifying user permissions, accessing confidential data, altering system configurations, or even installing malware on the affected system. The authentication bypass capability means that attackers do not need to possess legitimate credentials to gain administrative access, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by anyone who can submit malicious input to the vulnerable application. This type of vulnerability directly maps to CWE-79 which categorizes cross-site scripting flaws, and aligns with ATT&CK techniques such as T1566 for credential access and T1078 for valid accounts usage.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-49397 must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging. The primary solution involves implementing comprehensive input validation and output encoding mechanisms that properly sanitize all user-supplied data before processing or rendering within web applications. This includes employing context-appropriate encoding such as HTML, JavaScript, and URL encoding based on where the data will be used within the application. Organizations should implement Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, utilize secure session management practices, and deploy web application firewalls to detect and block malicious input patterns. Regular security testing including dynamic application security testing and manual penetration testing should be conducted to identify potential XSS vulnerabilities. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and monitoring for suspicious administrative activities can help detect exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to OWASP Top Ten security guidelines, particularly those addressing injection flaws and session management weaknesses.