CVE-2024-5586 in ADAudit Plus
Summary
by MITRE • 08/23/2024
Zohocorp ManageEngine ADAudit Plus versions below 8121 are vulnerable to the authenticated SQL injection in extranet lockouts report option.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-5586 affects Zohocorp ManageEngine ADAudit Plus versions prior to 8121, presenting a critical authenticated SQL injection flaw within the extranet lockouts report functionality. This vulnerability resides in the web application's input validation mechanisms, specifically when processing user-supplied data within the report generation module. The flaw allows an authenticated attacker with appropriate privileges to manipulate database queries through malicious input, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion. The affected component is part of the extranet lockouts reporting feature, which is commonly used by security administrators to monitor and analyze failed authentication attempts from external network sources.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows standard SQL injection patterns where user-controllable parameters within the report generation interface are not properly sanitized or parameterized before being incorporated into database queries. Attackers can leverage this flaw by crafting malicious input strings that alter the intended query structure, potentially bypassing authentication mechanisms or extracting sensitive information from the underlying database. The vulnerability is classified as authenticated SQL injection, which means that successful exploitation requires prior legitimate access to the system, typically through valid user credentials. This authentication requirement reduces the attack surface compared to unauthenticated vulnerabilities but still represents a significant security risk given the privileged nature of the affected functionality. The flaw aligns with CWE-89 which specifically addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands, and the attack pattern corresponds to techniques documented in the ATT&CK framework under TA0006 Privilege Escalation and TA0007 Credential Access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable attackers to manipulate audit logs, compromise the integrity of security monitoring systems, and potentially gain deeper access to the underlying infrastructure. Security administrators who rely on ADAudit Plus for monitoring extranet access and lockout events may find their audit trails compromised, undermining the effectiveness of their security monitoring capabilities. The vulnerability also poses risks to compliance requirements, as audit logs may be modified or corrupted, potentially violating regulatory standards such as SOC 2, PCI DSS, or GDPR compliance frameworks. Organizations using older versions of ManageEngine ADAudit Plus may face significant operational disruption if attackers exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to sensitive system information or to manipulate security event data. The impact is particularly severe in environments where ADAudit Plus serves as a critical component of security monitoring and compliance reporting infrastructure.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to ManageEngine ADAudit Plus version 8121 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the SQL injection vulnerability. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit privileged access to the affected system can reduce the potential impact of exploitation. Security teams should also conduct thorough audits of the affected system to identify any potential compromise or unauthorized access attempts. Regular monitoring of system logs and implementing database activity monitoring solutions can help detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security software and implementing robust patch management processes to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and input validation controls as additional layers of defense. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce compatibility issues with existing configurations while maintaining the security posture of the affected systems.