CVE-2024-57698 in modernwms
Summary
by MITRE • 04/29/2025
An issue in modernwms v.1.0 allows an attacker view the MD5 hash of the administrator password and other attributes without authentication, even after initial configuration and password change. This happens due to excessive exposure of information and the lack of adequate access control on the /user/list?culture=en-us endpoint.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-57698 affects the modernwms v.1.0 web application, presenting a critical information disclosure flaw that undermines fundamental security principles. This issue manifests through the /user/list?culture=en-us endpoint which exposes sensitive administrative credentials in plain text format, specifically revealing MD5 hashes of administrator passwords along with other user attributes. The vulnerability persists even after initial system configuration and password modification processes, indicating a fundamental flaw in the application's access control mechanisms that fails to properly validate user privileges or restrict data access based on authentication status.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and insufficient access control implementation within the web application's user management interface. The endpoint fails to properly authenticate requests or verify user roles before serving sensitive data, creating an information exposure condition that directly violates security best practices. This flaw constitutes a CWE-200 (Information Exposure) vulnerability, where sensitive information is disclosed to unauthorized parties through improper access controls. The MD5 hash exposure particularly concerning as it provides attackers with a clear path toward account compromise, especially if the hash is subsequently cracked or if the application uses weak password policies that result in easily guessable credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates a pathway for privilege escalation and unauthorized access to administrative functions. An attacker can leverage the exposed MD5 hashes to perform credential stuffing attacks against other systems where the same passwords may be reused, or attempt to crack the hashes using rainbow table attacks or brute force methods. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1566 (Phishing for Information) and T1078 (Valid Accounts) as it provides adversaries with legitimate administrative credentials that can be used to gain persistent access to the system. The persistence of this vulnerability even after password changes indicates that the application's security model has fundamental design flaws that require comprehensive architectural review.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The primary fix involves implementing proper authentication checks and access control enforcement on the /user/list endpoint, ensuring that only authorized administrative users can access sensitive user information. This requires implementing role-based access control mechanisms, proper session management, and input validation to prevent unauthorized data access. Additionally, the application should be configured to avoid exposing password hashes in any format, with password storage implementing strong cryptographic hashing with salt values rather than simple MD5. Organizations should also implement network segmentation, monitor for unauthorized access attempts to sensitive endpoints, and conduct regular security assessments to identify similar information disclosure vulnerabilities. The fix should align with NIST SP 800-53 security controls and OWASP Top Ten prevention guidelines to ensure comprehensive protection against similar threats.