CVE-2024-1403 - Authentication Bypass Vulnerability in OpenEdge Authentication Gateway and AdminServer

A critical vulnerability in OpenEdge Authentication Gateway and AdminServer has been identified, which may allow an attacker to bypass authentication and gain unauthorized access to an affected system. The vulnerability, designated as CVE-2024-1403, affects all platforms supported by the OpenEdge product, specifically versions prior to 11.7.19, 12.2.14, and 12.8.1. This article delves into the details of the vulnerability, including the related code snippets, exploit details, and links to the original references. This information is presented in a straightforward and accessible manner to cater to a wide range of readers.

Vulnerability Details

The vulnerability stems from a flaw in the handling of username and password credentials by the OpenEdge Authentication Gateway and AdminServer. When unexpected input is provided in the form of certain content combinations for these credentials, the authentication process is bypassed, thus granting unauthorized access to an attacker. The root cause of the vulnerability has not been disclosed in detail to prevent the potential misuse of the information.

Code Snippet

While the exact code for exploitation is not available, the following simple example demonstrates the concept of unexpected input for the username and password:

Username: admin' --
Password: anything

In this example, the single quote (') and double hyphens (--) within the input could potentially lead to an SQL Injection attack. The point here is that some unanticipated content in the input fields might trigger the vulnerability.

Exploit Details

An attacker could craft a specially designed payload containing the unexpected content and send it to the vulnerable OpenEdge Authentication Gateway or AdminServer. Successful exploitation of the vulnerability could result in unauthorized access to the affected system, potentially allowing the attacker to perform various actions, including unauthorized data access or modification, and further exploitation of the system.

Mitigation

To mitigate the vulnerability, affected users should apply the necessary updates provided by the vendor (Progress Software) as soon as possible. The patched versions are as follows:

OpenEdge 12.8.1

It is strongly recommended to apply these updates promptly to prevent potential cyber attacks.

The following are links to the original references related to the vulnerability

- CVE-2024-1403 - https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2024-1403
- Security Advisory - https://www.progress.com/openedge/security-advisory-authentication-bypass-CVE-2024-1403

Conclusion

CVE-2024-1403 is an authentication bypass vulnerability affecting OpenEdge Authentication Gateway and AdminServer on all platforms supported by the OpenEdge product. The flaw lies in the improper handling of username and password, which may grant unauthorized access to an attacker when providing unexpected content. Affected users should promptly apply the updates provided by the vendor to mitigate the vulnerability and protect their systems.

Timeline

Published on: 02/27/2024 16:15:45 UTC
Last modified on: 02/28/2024 14:07:00 UTC