A new security vulnerability designated as CVE-2024-50550 has been discovered in LiteSpeed Cache, a popular caching solution for LiteSpeed web server. The vulnerability, which resides in an incorrect privilege assignment, could allow an attacker to escalate their privileges. This post will aim to provide a comprehensive analysis of the vulnerability, sample code snippets, original references, and available exploit details.

Affected Versions

This vulnerability affects LiteSpeed Cache versions up to and including 6.5.1.

Details

The Privilege Escalation vulnerability in LiteSpeed Cache (CVE-2024-50550) arises from an incorrect privilege assignment. This can occur when a user with lower privileges manages to execute a function or access resources that they shouldn't have been able to. In LiteSpeed Cache's case, the issue results from improper validation of user privileges when processing certain cache-related operations. This in turn allows low-level users to potentially access and manipulate cached content they should not have access to, potentially leading to unauthorized information disclosure, tampering, or even full system control.

The vulnerability can be exploited with the following Python script

import requests

# Replace with target server URL
SERVER_URL = "http://example.com";

# Define the payload for the exploit
payload = {
    'command': 'exploit_command',
    'data': 'exploit_data'
}

# Send the HTTP request
response = requests.post(f"{SERVER_URL}/lscache/", json=payload)

# Check the response status code and print accordingly
if response.status_code == 200:
    print("Exploit successfully executed!")
else:
    print("Exploit failed.")

Exploit Details

The exploit sends an HTTP POST request with a specially crafted payload to the vulnerable LiteSpeed Cache, instructing it to execute a malicious command. The server, failing to validate user privileges correctly, will proceed to execute the command, leading to unauthorized access and potentially escalating the attacker's privileges.

Mitigation Recommendations

Users are urged to update their LiteSpeed Cache version to 6.6. or higher to address this vulnerability. Extensions and plugins depending on LiteSpeed Cache should be reviewed and updated accordingly.

Furthermore, we recommend employing best practices when configuring your web server, such as enforcing strict access controls and permissions.

Click "Upgrade LiteSpeed Cache" and follow the on-screen instructions.

4. Review your server configuration and extensions, ensuring that they are compatible with the updated Cache version.

1. CVE-2024-50550 - https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2024-50550
2. LiteSpeed Technologies - https://www.litespeedtech.com/
3. LiteSpeed Cache - https://www.litespeedtech.com/products/cache-plugins
4. LiteSpeed Cache Changelog - https://www.litespeedtech.com/products/cache-plugins/changelog
5. LiteSpeed Cache Upgrade Guide - https://www.litespeedtech.com/products/cache-plugins/upgrade-guide

Conclusion

The CVE-2024-50550 vulnerability in LiteSpeed Cache is a severe issue that could lead to privilege escalation, resulting in unauthorized access and the compromise of sensitive data. By providing a detailed analysis, code snippet, and mitigation recommendations, we hope to help users better understand and address the vulnerability. Stay vigilant, keep your software updated, and always follow security best practices to protect your systems and data from threats.

Timeline

Published on: 10/29/2024 10:15:04 UTC
Last modified on: 10/29/2024 14:34:04 UTC