Overview:
A critical Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability has been identified in Apache Struts2, tracked as CVE-2024-53677. This vulnerability allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code remotely, posing a severe risk to systems relying on vulnerable versions of Struts2.
Apache Struts2 is a popular open-source web application framework used widely for developing Java EE web applications. This flaw has been classified as critical, given its potential impact.
Vulnerability Details:
The CVE-2024-53677 vulnerability arises from improper input validation when processing certain types of requests in the Struts2 framework. By exploiting this flaw, a remote attacker can send specially crafted HTTP requests, leading to arbitrary code execution on the target server.
Key details include:
- Vulnerability ID: CVE-2024-53677
- Severity: Critical
- Impact: Remote Code Execution
- Affected Versions: Specific versions of Apache Struts2 (refer to official vendor advisory for details).
The vulnerability can be triggered without authentication, making it highly exploitable for external attackers.
Proof of Concept (PoC):
A simplified Proof of Concept (PoC) for CVE-2024-53677 demonstrates how an attacker can inject and execute arbitrary code. The following is a sample payload to exploit the flaw:
Breakdown: The crafted payload leverages OGNL (Object-Graph Navigation Language) expression injection to manipulate internal Struts2 configurations, ultimately leading to the execution of system commands such as id to verify user privileges.
Replace the id command with any system-level command to escalate actions, such as downloading malware or creating a reverse shell.
Mitigation:
To protect against CVE-2024-53677, the following measures are recommended:
- Upgrade: Immediately update to the latest patched version of Apache Struts2.
- Input Validation: Enforce strict input validation to prevent OGNL injection.
- Network Controls: Restrict external access to critical systems and endpoints where possible.
- Monitoring: Enable real-time monitoring and logging to detect unusual HTTP requests or behaviors.
References
https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/WW/S2-067
https://github.com/TAM-K592/CVE-2024-53677-S2-067
