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Zero-Day Vulnerability in Apache OFBiz Enables RCE

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Flaws in Apache OFBiz Putting Critical Business Functions at Risk

Prajeet Nair (@prajeetspeaks) •
August 5, 2024    

Zero-Day Vulnerability in Apache OFBiz Enables RCE
Image: Shutterstock

A zero-day pre-authentication vulnerability in Apache OFBiz is putting critical business functions at risk by enabling unauthorized remote code execution.

See Also: Accelerating defense missions with a global data mesh

Tracked as CVE-2024-38856, this critical flaw uncovered by SonicWall researchers holds a CVSS score of 9.8.

Apache OFBiz is an open-source enterprise resource planning system developed by the Apache Software Foundation. It supports business functions such as accounting, human resources, customer relationship management, order management and manufacturing.

The system is highly customizable, adaptable to different business needs and used by major companies like United Airlines, Atlassian JIRA and Lindt Chocolate Club.

The vulnerability’s root cause lies in a flaw in OFBiz’s authentication mechanism, which allows unauthenticated users to access functionalities typically restricted to logged-in users. This can lead to remote code execution, granting attackers the ability to execute arbitrary code on the affected system.

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SonicWall said that the issue is due to improper handling of endpoint requests. Researchers found that authentication checks are performed on one part of the request but another part bypassed the checks.

The vulnerability exploits the difference in handling the request URI and override view URI within the OFBiz system.

The request URI undergoes authentication checks, while the override view URI, which points to the final resource, does not. This discrepancy allows attackers to craft requests that bypass authentication, leading to unauthorized access and potential exploitation of critical endpoints.

SonicWall’s researchers, who previously identified another major flaw in Apache OFBiz in December 2023, discovered this latest issue while analyzing the CVE-2024-36104 vulnerability. Their analysis revealed that the flawed logic in the authentication process permitted unauthenticated access to certain endpoints, paving the way for remote code execution.

To address the vulnerability, Apache OFBiz has released version 18.12.15, which includes enhanced permission checks to prevent such unauthorized access.

SonicWall researchers said that the time from reporting the vulnerability to receiving a patch for analysis was less than 24 hours. The cybersecurity firm also developed an IPS signature to detect any active exploitation attempts of this vulnerability.

While there is no evidence of active exploitation of CVE-2024-38856 at this time, SonicWall strongly recommends that all users of Apache OFBiz upgrade their instances to the latest version to ensure protection against potential attacks.

Apache OFBiz’s user base spans various industries, with significant usage in information technology and services, computer software and retail sectors.





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    References:

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