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CVE-2024-39338: High Vulnerability in Axios

CVE-2024-39338 is a high-severity SSRF vulnerability in Axios, affecting version 1.7.2. This flaw allows attackers to exploit unexpected behavior in handling relative URLs. Immediate action is required to mitigate potential risks.

HIGHCVSS 7.5 · Published August 12, 2024

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CVE-2024-39338 is a high-severity vulnerability found in axios version 1.7.2. This vulnerability allows Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) due to unexpected behavior where requests for path relative URLs are processed as protocol relative URLs. With a CVSS score of 7.5, this issue presents significant security concerns for applications that utilize axios.

The risk to organizations includes unauthorized access to internal services, which could lead to data exposure or manipulation. As this vulnerability has been analyzed but not yet confirmed to have public exploits, organizations are urged to take proactive measures to safeguard their systems.

Organizations should prioritize patching immediately to mitigate risks associated with this vulnerability. The exploitation of this vulnerability could have severe consequences, making it crucial for security teams to understand its implications and take necessary actions.

As of now, there are no known exploits or public proof of concepts available. However, the potential for exploitation remains high, emphasizing the need for urgent remediation.

Vulnerability Details

The official description of this vulnerability states that axios 1.7.2 allows SSRF via unexpected behavior where requests for path relative URLs get processed as protocol relative URLs. This vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classification of CWE-918.

The CVSS score of 7.5 indicates a high severity, reflecting the significant impact this vulnerability can have on confidentiality, with a confidentiality impact of high, while integrity and availability impacts are noted as none.

This vulnerability affects the axios product, specifically versions from 1.3.2 to 1.7.3, where the vulnerability has been patched. The vulnerability was published on August 12, 2024.

Technical Analysis

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the way axios processes URLs. It treats path relative URLs as protocol relative URLs, which can allow attackers to send malicious requests to internal services. The attack vector is network-based with low complexity, meaning that attackers could exploit this vulnerability without requiring prior authentication or user interaction.

Given that no user interaction is required and no privileges are needed, the vulnerability can be easily exploited by an attacker who has access to the network. The impact on confidentiality is high, as it can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data.

Risk & Impact Analysis

The real-world deployment risk associated with this vulnerability is substantial, particularly for organizations utilizing axios in their applications. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to gain access to internal services, potentially leading to data breaches or further exploitation of the organization’s infrastructure.

Given the high CVSS score of 7.5, organizations should address this vulnerability in their priority patch cycle. The potential blast radius of this vulnerability is significant, as it could affect any application using the vulnerable versions of axios.

With an EPSS score of 0.02958, this vulnerability is in the 86th percentile for risk, indicating a notable chance of exploitation if left unaddressed. Immediate action is necessary to prevent potential breaches.

Signal

Status

Known Exploit

No

Public PoC

No

Actively Exploited

No

Ransomware Use

No

Affected Versions

The affected versions of axios include all versions from 1.3.2 up to, but not including, 1.7.4. Organizations should ensure they are running versions of axios that have addressed this vulnerability.

Mitigation & Remediation

To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should apply patches as soon as they are available. The recommended action is to upgrade to axios version 1.7.4 or later.

In cases where immediate patching is not possible, organizations should implement additional network controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious requests. Regular monitoring and logging of requests can also help identify any misuse of the vulnerable functionality.

Penetration testing can also be utilized to validate the effectiveness of the implemented security controls.

Detection Guidance

Organizations should monitor logs for unusual patterns of requests that may indicate exploitation attempts. Key indicators include requests to internal services that should not be accessible externally.

Behavioral anomalies in network traffic may also signal attempts to exploit this vulnerability, particularly if there are requests that involve path relative URLs.

AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight

CVE-2024-39338 highlights a critical area of concern for security teams regarding how applications handle URL requests. It represents a trend where seemingly benign functionality can lead to significant risks if not properly validated.

Security teams should learn from this vulnerability to apply rigorous validation to all incoming requests, ensuring that applications do not inadvertently expose sensitive internal resources.

Security testing best practices should be integrated into the development lifecycle to prevent similar vulnerabilities from arising in the future.

Continual monitoring and adjusting security strategies based on emerging threats will be vital in maintaining a robust security posture.

Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.

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