CVE-2024-1459 Overview
CVE-2024-1459 is a path traversal vulnerability [CWE-24] in Red Hat Undertow, the web server used by JBoss Enterprise Application Platform (EAP). A remote attacker can append a specially-crafted sequence to an HTTP request targeting an application deployed on JBoss EAP. The crafted request bypasses path normalization and permits access to privileged or restricted files and directories outside the intended web root.
The issue affects confidentiality only and does not require authentication or user interaction. Red Hat published fixes across multiple JBoss EAP and related product streams in March and May 2024.
Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can read restricted files served by Undertow-backed applications, exposing configuration data, credentials, or source artifacts to reconnaissance and follow-on attacks.
Affected Products
- Red Hat Undertow (bundled with JBoss EAP)
- Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7.x product streams referenced in RHSA-2024:1674, RHSA-2024:1675, RHSA-2024:1676, and RHSA-2024:1677
- NetApp products referenced in advisory NTAP-20241122-0008
Discovery Timeline
- 2024-02-12 - CVE-2024-1459 published to the National Vulnerability Database
- 2024-04-11 - Red Hat releases patches in RHSA-2024:1674, RHSA-2024:1675, RHSA-2024:1676, and RHSA-2024:1677
- 2024-05-14 - Additional fixes published in RHSA-2024:2763 and RHSA-2024:2764
- 2024-11-22 - NetApp publishes advisory NTAP-20241122-0008
- 2026-08-04 - Last updated in the NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2024-1459
Vulnerability Analysis
Undertow is the embedded HTTP server that serves static resources and dispatches requests for applications deployed on JBoss EAP. The vulnerability arises from insufficient normalization of encoded traversal sequences in request paths. When an attacker sends an HTTP request containing a crafted sequence, Undertow resolves the path in a way that escapes the intended deployment directory boundary.
The result is unauthorized read access to files on the server filesystem that the Java process can access. Because the flaw is limited to disclosure, it does not permit writing, executing code, or elevating privileges directly. However, exposed configuration files, keystores, or deployment descriptors often contain credentials that enable follow-on attacks.
Root Cause
The root cause is a path equivalence and traversal weakness [CWE-24] in the resource-serving logic. Encoded or otherwise obfuscated traversal segments in the URL are not fully canonicalized before the path is compared against the deployment root, allowing the resolved filesystem path to point outside the intended directory.
Attack Vector
Exploitation is remote and network-based over HTTP or HTTPS. The attacker sends a single crafted request to a vulnerable JBoss EAP application endpoint. No authentication and no user interaction are required. Refer to the Red Hat CVE-2024-1459 advisory and Red Hat Bug Report #2259475 for reproduction context. No public proof-of-concept exploit code is available at the time of writing.
Detection Methods for CVE-2024-1459
Indicators of Compromise
- HTTP request URIs containing encoded traversal sequences such as %2e%2e%2f, ..;/, or mixed-case variants targeting JBoss EAP or Undertow-served endpoints
- Access log entries showing 200 responses for paths that resolve outside the standard WEB-INF, META-INF, or deployment root directories
- Unusual reads of sensitive files such as standalone.xml, domain.xml, mgmt-users.properties, or keystores in Undertow process telemetry
Detection Strategies
- Inspect Undertow and reverse-proxy access logs for URL patterns containing repeated encoded dot-slash sequences or fragment characters used to break normalization
- Deploy WAF or reverse-proxy rules that reject requests whose decoded path contains .. segments before forwarding to JBoss EAP
- Correlate outbound file read syscalls from the JBoss Java process with HTTP request context to identify anomalous file access originating from web requests
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable verbose Undertow access logging including the raw request URI, decoded path, and HTTP response size
- Alert on responses that return file content types (for example application/xml or application/octet-stream) from unexpected paths
- Baseline the file read profile of the JBoss EAP process and alert on reads of credential, configuration, or private key files
How to Mitigate CVE-2024-1459
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the Red Hat security updates listed in RHSA-2024:1674, RHSA-2024:1675, RHSA-2024:1676, RHSA-2024:1677, RHSA-2024:2763, and RHSA-2024:2764 to all affected JBoss EAP installations
- Inventory environments for Undertow instances embedded in third-party products, including affected NetApp components identified in NTAP-20241122-0008
- Rotate credentials, keys, and secrets stored in files that may have been exposed prior to patching
Patch Information
Red Hat has released patched Undertow packages through the JBoss EAP update channels. Refer to the Red Hat CVE-2024-1459 advisory and the associated errata (RHSA-2024:1674, RHSA-2024:1675, RHSA-2024:1676, RHSA-2024:1677, RHSA-2024:2763, and RHSA-2024:2764) for the exact fixed versions for each product stream.
Workarounds
- Place a hardened reverse proxy or WAF in front of JBoss EAP that decodes and normalizes request paths and rejects any URI containing traversal segments
- Restrict filesystem permissions for the JBoss EAP service account so that sensitive configuration files and keystores are not readable outside the deployment directory
- Disable or restrict access to deployed applications that serve arbitrary static content until the patch is applied
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.