CVE-2024-52871 in Flagsmith
Summary
by MITRE • 11/17/2024
In Flagsmith before 2.134.1, it is possible to bypass the ALLOW_REGISTRATION_WITHOUT_INVITE setting.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/19/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-52871 affects Flagsmith versions prior to 2.134.1 and represents a critical access control flaw that undermines the platform's registration security mechanisms. This issue allows unauthorized users to bypass the intended registration flow that should require invitation tokens when the ALLOW_REGISTRATION_WITHOUT_INVITE configuration setting is disabled. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation logic within the registration endpoint that fails to properly enforce the access control policies defined by the application's configuration parameters.
This security weakness operates at the application logic level and can be categorized under CWE-693 Protection Mechanism Failure, specifically manifesting as a bypass of access control restrictions. The flaw enables attackers to register new accounts without proper authorization, potentially allowing them to gain unauthorized access to the Flagsmith platform and its associated features. The vulnerability directly impacts the platform's ability to maintain controlled access to its services, particularly when organizations rely on invitation-based registration to manage user access and maintain security boundaries.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations using Flagsmith for feature flag management, as it allows unauthorized individuals to potentially gain access to sensitive configuration data and system controls. The impact extends beyond simple account creation to encompass potential data exposure, privilege escalation, and unauthorized modification of feature flags that may control critical application functionality. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability to gain persistent access to the platform, potentially leading to more severe consequences depending on the platform's integration with other systems and the sensitivity of the managed features.
The mitigation strategy for this vulnerability requires immediate patching to Flagsmith version 2.134.1 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to properly enforce the ALLOW_REGISTRATION_WITHOUT_INVITE setting. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring of registration activities and user access patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should review their current access control configurations and ensure that all registration-related settings are properly enforced. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 Valid Accounts, as it enables attackers to establish unauthorized persistent access through legitimate registration mechanisms. Additionally, the flaw demonstrates characteristics of T1566 Phishing, as attackers may use the bypassed registration process to establish footholds in systems that should be protected through invitation-based access controls. Organizations should also consider implementing rate limiting and additional authentication measures for registration endpoints to further reduce the attack surface.