Description
A critical vulnerability has been identified in the LoadMaster management interface, which allows unauthenticated remote attackers to access the system and execute arbitrary system commands.
Affected Product(s)
Product Name(s) and Version(s):
- Progress LoadMaster: Versions 7.2.48.1 to 7.2.48.9 (inclusive) and 7.2.54.0 to 7.2.54.7 (inclusive).
- Kemp Technologies LoadMaster (all versions).
Technical Details
The vulnerability, designated as CVE-2024-1212, is classified as a critical pre-authenticated OS command injection flaw affecting the LoadMaster product by Progress (formerly Kemp Technologies). The flaw allows an unauthenticated, remote attacker with access to the management interface to issue specially crafted API commands, enabling the execution of arbitrary system commands.
This vulnerability exists due to improper neutralization of special elements within the LoadMaster management interface. Specifically, the system fails to adequately sanitize input data, which can be manipulated to inject and execute arbitrary commands at the operating system level.
This type of weakness is categorized under CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command). The vulnerable product versions include LoadMaster 7.2.48.1 to 7.2.48.9 and 7.2.54.0 to 7.2.54.7. Enterprises and users utilizing these versions should urgently apply patches or mitigation measures as recommended by the vendor. The risk associated with this vulnerability is significantly high, with a CVSS v3 score of 9.8 and CVSS v2 score of 10, both indicating a critical and severe threat.
Technical analysis indicates that attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted HTTP GET request to the management interface. This request often includes a payload within the Authorization header that triggers the execution of system commands such as ‘id’ or ‘cat /etc/passwd’.
The exploitation process can be automated and seamlessly executed using various security tools and scripts. The threat landscape showcases a heightened interest from malicious actors who are leveraging this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to targeted systems. Given the ease of exploitation and the potential damage, including data breaches and system takeovers, organizations must take immediate action to secure their systems.
Despite the availability of patches (LoadMaster versions 7.2.59.2, 7.2.54.8, and 7.2.48.10 addressing the issue), historical data suggests that many systems remain unpatched due to operational dependencies or lack of awareness. Security experts and vendors have emphasized the critical need for prompt updates and have released detection tools and guidelines to help identify and mitigate the risk. Hackers exploiting this vulnerability can easily perform reconnaissance, escalate privileges, and maintain persistence.
It is crucial for organizations to monitor network traffic, perform regular vulnerability assessments, and implement robust authentication mechanisms to safeguard against potential exploitation. Various cybersecurity advisories and security forums have highlighted the incident, underscoring the urgent need for collective vigilance and proactive defensive measures. Resources for additional technical insights and exploitation details are available from reputable sources such as the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) and specialized security research firms.
Weakness
The weakness associated with this vulnerability is identified as CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command (‘OS Command Injection’). This category highlights the failure to adequately sanitize inputs in the LoadMaster management interface, which can lead to command injection and arbitrary command execution.
Impact Assessment
If exploited, this vulnerability could allow an attacker to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data or execute arbitrary code on the affected system. The severity of this flaw means that attackers could potentially take complete control of the system, manipulate or steal data, disrupt services, and use the compromised system as a stepping stone for further attacks.
Active Exploitation
We have observed activity from known threat actors exploiting this vulnerability to execute arbitrary commands on targeted systems. Numerous reports have flagged the active exploitation of CVE-2024-1212, with attackers abusing the management interface’s vulnerabilities to compromise systems.
Ransomware Association
The vulnerability has been linked to ransomware attacks, specifically ransomware groups exploiting this flaw to gain initial access to the system. Upon gaining entry, these groups deploy ransomware to encrypt sensitive data and demand ransoms, disrupting business operations and causing financial losses.
Mitigation and Resolution
We have released a patch that addresses this vulnerability. Please update to version X.Y.Z immediately. The patched versions include LoadMaster 7.2.59.2 (GA), LoadMaster 7.2.54.8 (LTSF), and LoadMaster 7.2.48.10 (LTS). Follow the vendor’s instructions for applying these updates to ensure your system’s security.
Recommendations
- We strongly recommend that all customers apply the latest patch as soon as possible.
- Update LoadMaster to the patched versions: 7.2.59.2, 7.2.54.8, or 7.2.48.10.
- Ensure that your management interface is not exposed to public networks.
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of security.
- Regularly monitor network traffic for suspicious activity.
- Perform routine vulnerability assessments and penetration testing.
- Keep your security tools and signatures up to date.
- Consider implementing intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS) to detect and block exploit attempts.
ย Referencesย
- Free Load Balancer
- Kemp Technologies
- National Vulnerability Database
- CVE-2024-1212: Unauthenticated Command Injection In Progress Kemp LoadMaster
- LoadMaster Support
- Kemp Technologies Support
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