A recently discovered security vulnerability, CVE-2024-23349, has been identified in Apache Answer, affecting versions up to and including 1.2.1. This vulnerability can potentially lead to a Cross-site Scripting (XSS) attack, which allows an attacker to inject malicious code into a user's browser. In this blog post, we will provide a detailed explanation of this vulnerability, a code snippet demonstrating the issue, and links to the original references and the recommended solution to fix the problem.

Exploit Details

The CVE-2024-23349 vulnerability occurs due to Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation. It is specifically caused when a logged-in user modifies their submitted question and inputs malicious code in the summary field. This can result in an XSS attack as the malicious code is executed by the unsuspecting user's browser.

Here is a simple code snippet demonstrating this issue

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <title>Apache Answer Vulnerable Version 1.2.1</title>
</head>
<body>
    <h1>Modify Your Question</h1>

    <form>
        <label for="summary">Summary:</label>
        <input type="text" id="summary" name="summary" value="[MALICIOUS_CODE_HERE]">
        <button type="submit">Save Changes</button>
    </form>
</body>
</html>

In this example, you can replace [MALICIOUS_CODE_HERE] with actual malicious code to simulate the attack.

Original References

The vulnerability was first reported to the Apache Answer project, and the information about the vulnerability along with the recommended solution can be found in these official documents and resources:

1. Apache Answer Security Advisory: https://www.apache.org/security/advisory/answer
2. CVE-2024-23349 Details: https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2024-23349
3. Apache Answer Patch Notes: https://www.apache.org/answer/patchnotes

How to Fix the Vulnerability

The Apache Answer project team has promptly addressed this vulnerability and released a new version, 1.2.5, which includes the fix. It is highly recommended for users to upgrade their Apache Answer software to version 1.2.5 in order to protect against this newly discovered XSS vulnerability.

The new version of Apache Answer can be found here: https://www.apache.org/dyn/closer.lua/answer/1.2.5/

In Summary

CVE-2024-23349 presents a significant security threat for users with Apache Answer versions up to and including 1.2.1. By understanding the details of this vulnerability and promptly upgrading to the fixed version 1.2.5, users can ensure that their systems are protected from potential XSS attacks. Stay vigilant and keep your software up to date to maintain optimal security.

Timeline

Published on: 02/22/2024 10:15:08 UTC
Last modified on: 12/11/2024 14:22:19 UTC