CVE-2024-10501: Esafenet CDG SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2024-10501 Overview

CVE-2024-10501 is a SQL injection vulnerability in ESAFENET CDG 5, a data leakage prevention product. The flaw resides in the findById function of /com/esafenet/servlet/document/ExamCDGDocService.java. Attackers manipulate the id argument to inject arbitrary SQL statements into backend database queries. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable and requires low-level authentication privileges. The exploit has been publicly disclosed, increasing the risk of opportunistic attacks. According to the reporter, the vendor was contacted about the issue but did not respond to disclosure attempts.

Critical Impact
Authenticated remote attackers can inject SQL statements through the id parameter of ExamCDGDocService.findById, potentially exposing or modifying data stored in the CDG database.

Affected Products

ESAFENET CDG version 5
Component: ExamCDGDocService.java
Vulnerable function: findById

Discovery Timeline

2024-10-30 - CVE-2024-10501 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-10501

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a classic SQL injection flaw categorized under [CWE-89]. The affected code path is exposed by the servlet at /com/esafenet/servlet/document/ExamCDGDocService.java, which processes document lookup requests through the findById method. The id argument is passed from the HTTP request into a database query without proper parameterization or input validation. Because the input is concatenated into the SQL statement, an attacker can inject arbitrary SQL clauses. Successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized data disclosure, modification of records, or information gathering to support further attacks against the environment.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing input sanitization and the absence of prepared statements in the findById method. User-controlled data flows directly into a SQL query string, allowing an attacker to break the query context and append their own SQL. Standard secure coding practices such as parameterized queries or a well-audited ORM layer would prevent this class of flaw.

Attack Vector

The attack is executed over the network against the CDG web application. An attacker with low-privileged access sends a crafted HTTP request that supplies a malicious id parameter to the ExamCDGDocService endpoint. No user interaction is required. Because the exploit has been publicly disclosed through VulDB, opportunistic scanning for exposed CDG 5 instances is a realistic concern.

The vulnerability manifests when the `id` parameter supplied to `ExamCDGDocService.findById` is concatenated into a SQL query without parameterization. Refer to the VulDB entry #282441 for technical proof-of-concept details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-10501

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to /com/esafenet/servlet/document/ExamCDGDocService containing SQL metacharacters such as single quotes, UNION, SELECT, --, or /* in the id parameter.
Application or database logs showing malformed SQL errors originating from the findById method.
Unexpected database read volumes or queries returning schema metadata tables such as information_schema.

Detection Strategies

Deploy web application firewall rules that inspect the id parameter on CDG servlet paths for SQL injection payload patterns.
Enable database query logging and alert on anomalous queries originating from the CDG application account, particularly queries touching information_schema or system tables.
Baseline normal request patterns for ExamCDGDocService endpoints and alert on statistical deviations in parameter length or character composition.

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward web server, application, and database logs to a central analytics platform for correlated review.
Monitor for outbound data transfers from the CDG database host that exceed typical operational volumes.
Track authentication events preceding suspicious ExamCDGDocService requests to identify potentially compromised low-privileged accounts.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-10501

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict network access to the CDG 5 application, limiting exposure to trusted management networks and VPN clients.
Audit accounts with access to the CDG application and disable or rotate credentials for any accounts no longer required.
Review database and web application logs for prior exploitation attempts targeting the id parameter of ExamCDGDocService.

Patch Information

No vendor patch has been published at the time of writing. According to the disclosure, the vendor did not respond to contact attempts. Organizations running ESAFENET CDG 5 should track vendor communications for future updates and consider compensating controls until a fix is available. Refer to the VulDB entry #282441 for ongoing tracking.

Workarounds

Place the CDG application behind a web application firewall configured to block SQL injection payloads targeting the id parameter.
Enforce least-privilege permissions on the database account used by the CDG application, removing rights to sensitive tables and DDL operations where feasible.
Add network-level access controls that require authentication and source IP restrictions before the servlet endpoint is reachable.

bash

# Example WAF rule concept (ModSecurity) blocking SQLi payloads on the vulnerable endpoint
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@contains /com/esafenet/servlet/document/ExamCDGDocService" \
    "chain,phase:2,deny,status:403,id:1010501,msg:'CVE-2024-10501 SQLi attempt'"
    SecRule ARGS:id "@rx (?i)(union(\s|/\*.*\*/)+select|--|;|/\*|\bor\b\s+1=1)" "t:none"