CVE-2024-51504
Description
An authentication bypass vulnerability was found in Apache Zookeeper. The default configuration of the client's IP address detection in IPAuthenticationProvider, which uses HTTP request headers, is weak and allows an attacker to bypass authentication by spoofing the client's IP address in request headers. The default configuration honors the X-Forwarded-For HTTP header to read the client's IP address, which can be easily spoofed by an attacker pretending that the request came from a different IP address. Admin Server commands, such as snapshot and restore arbitrarily, can be executed on successful exploitation, potentially leading to information leakage or service availability issues.
Statement
This vulnerability is considered an Important severity because it allows an attacker to bypass authentication by spoofing the client’s IP address, exploiting a weakness in ZooKeeper Admin Server's reliance on the X-Forwarded-For HTTP header for IP-based authentication. Unlike moderate vulnerabilities that might require additional conditions for exploitation, this flaw directly exposes critical admin commands—such as snapshot and restore—without requiring complex attack vectors. Successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized execution of sensitive commands, resulting in potential information leakage, data integrity risks, and service availability issues.
Mitigation
Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 7.3 | N/A | 9.1 |
| Attack Vector | Network | N/A | Network |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | None | N/A | None |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | None |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | Low | N/A | High |
| Integrity Impact | Low | N/A | None |
| Availability Impact | Low | N/A | High |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
cve.org: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Access Control
Technical Impact: Bypass Protection Mechanism; Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
This weakness can allow an attacker to access resources which are not otherwise accessible without proper authentication.
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