A flaw was discovered in Elasticsearch, where a large recursion using the innerForbidCircularReferences function of the PatternBank class could cause the Elasticsearch node to crash. A successful attack requires a malicious user to have read_pipeline Elasticsearch cluster privilege assigned to them.
This vulnerability is classified with a CVSS score of 6.5, indicating a medium severity level. The attack vector is network-based, with low complexity and low privileges required for successful exploitation. The potential impact on availability is high, as this flaw can lead to service disruptions.
Risk to organizations includes potential downtime and service interruptions due to node crashes. Organizations should prioritize patching immediately to mitigate this vulnerability.
Currently, there are no known public exploits or proofs of concept available. However, the exploitation potential exists given the right conditions and privileges assigned to the attacker.
Vulnerability Details
The vulnerability in Elasticsearch involves recursive function calls that can lead to a crash of the Elasticsearch node. The CVSS 3.1 vector for this vulnerability is AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H, highlighting that it is exploitable over a network with low attack complexity and privileges required. The affected versions are those within the range 7.17.0 to 8.15.0.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of recursion within the innerForbidCircularReferences function of the PatternBank class. The attack vector is network-based, allowing an attacker with low privileges to trigger this flaw. No user interaction is required, making it easier to exploit. The impact on availability is high, with no confidentiality or integrity impact.
Risk & Impact Analysis
The real-world deployment risk involves potential downtime and disruption of services due to the crash of Elasticsearch nodes. Given the critical role Elasticsearch plays in many applications, the impact could be significant, leading to data unavailability and operational challenges. Organizations should assess their exposure to this vulnerability and implement necessary patches as part of their immediate remediation efforts.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
Affected versions include all Elasticsearch versions from 7.17.0 up to but not including 8.15.1.
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately to address this vulnerability. Ensure you upgrade to versions beyond the fixed version 8.15.1. Additionally, consider implementing configuration hardening and monitoring measures to detect any unusual activity in Elasticsearch clusters.
Detection Guidance
Monitor logs for indicators of excessive recursion errors and unusual crash reports that may indicate exploitation attempts. Behavioral anomalies in cluster performance should also be tracked to identify potential exploitation.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The emergence of this vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation and recursion limits in software design. Organizations should continuously assess their security posture and engage in regular security assessments, such as penetration testing, to identify similar weaknesses across their systems.
This vulnerability serves as a reminder for security teams to enhance their monitoring capabilities and incident response strategies. By understanding the patterns of such vulnerabilities, organizations can better prepare for potential attacks and mitigate risks effectively.
For further reading on security best practices, organizations may refer to our guide on penetration testing methodology and security assessments.
Engaging with professional security services can further enhance defense mechanisms, ensuring that vulnerabilities such as CVE-2024-52980 are identified and remediated promptly.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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