A worrying security vulnerability has recently been discovered in Italtel Embrace 1.6.4, which is a popular unified communications and collaboration solution. CVE-2024-31840 is a particularly concerning issue that exposes users' passwords in cleartext within the HTML source code. If leveraged, this vulnerability could enable hackers to compromise critical systems and sift through confidential information without much difficulty.
To help you better understand this issue, we will share essential details such as the affected software version and its functionality. We will also provide a detailed explanation of the exploit and suggest steps to mitigate potential attacks.
Affected Software and Functionality
The vulnerability affects Italtel Embrace version 1.6.4, which offers a suite of tools to streamline communication and collaboration for organizations. One of the functions provided by Embrace 1.6.4 allows authenticated users to edit the email server configuration, which is precisely where the flaw resides.
Exploit Details
An authenticated user is permitted to access the email server configuration and alter it according to their needs. Upon accessing the edit function, the application completes the form with the current email account credentials, including the cleartext password. Consequently, an attacker who has gained access to the edit form through unauthorized means can view the password with ease.
Here's an example of the vulnerable HTML code snippet
<!-- Snippet of the HTML source code -->
...
<input type="password" id="emailPassword" name="emailPassword" value="cleartext_password_here">
...
As demonstrated in the code snippet, the password input field displays the cleartext password, making it accessible for any attacker snooping on your infrastructure.
The original advisory detailing this vulnerability can be found in the following link
Mitigations and Recommendations
There are several steps that you can take to protect your organization from CVE-2024-31840 and similar exploits:
1. Update Italtel Embrace: Ensure your systems are running the latest version of the software to benefit from security patches and bug fixes. If an official patch is not yet available, contact the vendor for a temporary workaround.
2. Restrict user access: Limit the number of users with privileges to edit the email server configuration or other sensitive configurations within the application.
3. Implement proper access controls: Ensure that your network security policies include appropriate access controls, such as strong authentication mechanisms and role-based access control (RBAC).
4. Train employees: Educate employees about the risks associated with this vulnerability and the importance of following security best practices.
5. Regularly monitor systems: Perform continuous monitoring of your infrastructure, including software logs and other suspicious activity, to prevent and detect unauthorized access.
Conclusion
CVE-2024-31840 poses a significant risk for organizations who use Italtel Embrace 1.6.4. By exposing cleartext passwords within the HTML source code, the vulnerability grants hackers easy access to sensitive information that they could utilize for further exploitation. It is crucial for organizations to stay updated on the latest security vulnerabilities, implement necessary measures, and maintain robust security policies to protect their networks.
Timeline
Published on: 05/21/2024 16:15:25 UTC
Last modified on: 07/26/2024 19:12:02 UTC