CVE-2024-50588 in Elefant
Summary
by MITRE • 11/08/2024
An unauthenticated attacker with access to the local network of the medical office can use known default credentials to gain remote DBA access to the Elefant Firebird database. The data in the database includes patient data and login credentials among other sensitive data. In addition, this enables an attacker to create and overwrite arbitrary files on the server filesystem with the rights of the Firebird database ("NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM").
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/11/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-50588 represents a critical security flaw in medical office database systems that exposes patient data to unauthorized access. This weakness stems from the implementation of default administrative credentials that remain unchanged within the Elefant Firebird database environment, creating an exploitable pathway for attackers who can access the local network. The vulnerability specifically targets healthcare environments where patient confidentiality and data protection are paramount, making it particularly dangerous due to the sensitive nature of the information at risk.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the use of well-known default credentials that allow an unauthenticated attacker to establish database administrator privileges within the Elefant Firebird system. Once authenticated with these default credentials, the attacker gains full administrative control over the database, enabling them to access, modify, or exfiltrate all stored data including patient medical records, personal identification information, and authentication credentials. The flaw exists at the authentication layer where proper credential management practices have not been implemented, allowing default administrative accounts to remain active and accessible without proper security hardening.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data access, as it provides attackers with the ability to manipulate the underlying server filesystem with elevated privileges. The attacker can create and overwrite arbitrary files on the server with the rights of the Firebird database service account, which operates with the high-privilege NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM context. This level of access enables attackers to potentially install malware, modify system configurations, or establish persistent backdoors within the medical office network infrastructure. The implications are severe for healthcare organizations as this access can be used to disrupt services, compromise patient care, or facilitate further network infiltration.
Security professionals should address this vulnerability through immediate credential management protocols including disabling default accounts, implementing strong password policies, and conducting regular security audits of database configurations. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-798, which addresses the use of hard-coded credentials, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit local network access, deploy intrusion detection systems to monitor for unauthorized authentication attempts, and establish comprehensive incident response procedures. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1078 for valid accounts and T1046 for network service scanning, highlighting the need for both preventive and detection-based security measures to protect healthcare data environments from such attacks.