CVE-2024-5705 in Pentaho Data Integration & Analytics
Summary
by MITRE • 02/20/2025
The product performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action, but it does not correctly perform the check. This allows attackers to bypass intended access restrictions. (CWE-863)
Hitachi Vantara Pentaho Business Analytics Server versions before 10.2.0.0 and 9.3.0.9, including 8.3.x, have modules enabled by default that allow execution of system level processes.
When access control checks are incorrectly applied, users can access data or perform actions that they should not be allowed to perform. This can lead to a wide range of problems, including information exposures and denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/20/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2024-5705 represents a critical authorization flaw in Hitachi Vantara Pentaho Business Analytics Server affecting versions prior to 10.2.0.0 and 9.3.0.9, including the 8.3.x series. This issue manifests as an improper authorization check implementation that allows attackers to bypass intended access restrictions, directly violating fundamental security principles of access control. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-863, which specifically addresses incorrect authorization checks, making it a well-documented and serious security concern that has been consistently identified in security assessments and penetration testing activities.
The technical flaw stems from the product's failure to properly enforce authorization controls when actors attempt to access resources or perform actions within the system. This misconfiguration allows unauthorized users to execute system-level processes that are typically restricted to privileged administrators. The default enablement of modules that permit execution of system-level processes creates an inherent risk where legitimate access controls are bypassed, enabling attackers to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data and system functions. The flaw operates at the authorization layer of the application, where the system should verify user permissions before granting access but fails to perform this critical validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial and multifaceted, encompassing potential information exposure, unauthorized data access, and possible denial of service conditions. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can access confidential business intelligence data, manipulate analytics reports, and potentially disrupt business operations through unauthorized system modifications. The ability to execute system-level processes provides attackers with elevated privileges that could lead to complete system compromise, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where business analytics servers often contain sensitive corporate data. This flaw directly impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability aspects of the CIA triad, creating cascading security implications throughout the organization's data infrastructure.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to the patched versions of Hitachi Vantara Pentaho Business Analytics Server, specifically versions 10.2.0.0 and 9.3.0.9 or later. Additionally, administrators should review and tighten access controls, disable unnecessary modules, and implement network segmentation to limit exposure. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and unauthorized access, making it a critical target for security teams to address. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous access patterns and unauthorized system process execution, while regular security assessments should verify proper authorization enforcement throughout the application stack. The remediation process should also include comprehensive access control reviews and privilege management audits to ensure that the authorization mechanisms function correctly and prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the system.