CVE-2024-26478: Statping-ng Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2024-26478 Overview

CVE-2024-26478 is an information disclosure vulnerability affecting Statping-ng, an open-source status page monitoring application. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to obtain sensitive information by sending crafted requests to the /api/users endpoint. This weakness is classified under CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor).

Critical Impact

Attackers can extract sensitive user information from Statping-ng instances without authentication, potentially exposing usernames, email addresses, and other user account details that could be leveraged for further attacks.

Affected Products

• Statping-ng v.0.91.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-11 - CVE-2024-26478 published to NVD
• 2026-02-12 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-26478

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability represents an information exposure flaw in the Statping-ng status monitoring application. The /api/users API endpoint fails to implement proper access controls, allowing unauthenticated users to retrieve sensitive user data that should be protected.

The vulnerability stems from improper access control implementation on the user enumeration endpoint. When a request is made to /api/users, the application returns user information without verifying whether the requesting party has appropriate authorization to access this data. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning in monitoring applications that may be exposed to the internet for status page functionality.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-26478 is insufficient authorization checks on the /api/users API endpoint. The application fails to validate authentication tokens or session credentials before returning user data, treating the endpoint as if it were intended for public access. This represents a classic broken access control vulnerability where sensitive administrative data is exposed through an improperly protected API route.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is network-based and requires no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability remotely by sending a simple HTTP request to the vulnerable endpoint. The attack is straightforward to execute:

1. Identify a Statping-ng instance accessible over the network
2. Send an HTTP GET request to the /api/users endpoint
3. Receive sensitive user information in the API response

Since no authentication is required and the attack complexity is low, this vulnerability can be exploited by attackers with minimal technical skills. The exposed information could include usernames, email addresses, and potentially other user account metadata that could facilitate subsequent attacks such as credential stuffing, phishing, or targeted social engineering campaigns.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-26478

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or repeated requests to the /api/users endpoint from external IP addresses
• High volume of API requests targeting user enumeration endpoints
• Access logs showing successful responses (HTTP 200) to unauthenticated /api/users requests
• Reconnaissance patterns targeting multiple Statping-ng API endpoints

Detection Strategies

• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to monitor and alert on requests to /api/users from unauthenticated sources
• Configure logging to capture all API endpoint access attempts, particularly those returning user data
• Deploy network intrusion detection systems (NIDS) with signatures for Statping-ng API enumeration attempts
• Utilize SIEM rules to correlate API access patterns that may indicate information harvesting

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose access logging for the Statping-ng application to capture all API requests
• Monitor for sequential or bulk requests to the /api/users endpoint that may indicate automated enumeration
• Set up alerts for any successful data retrieval from user-related endpoints by non-administrative sessions
• Review access logs regularly for signs of reconnaissance activity targeting the monitoring infrastructure

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-26478

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict network access to Statping-ng instances to trusted IP addresses or internal networks only
• Implement authentication requirements at the reverse proxy or load balancer level for API endpoints
• Consider deploying Statping-ng behind a VPN if public internet access is not required
• Review and audit existing access logs for potential exploitation attempts

Patch Information

As of the last available information, users should check the Statping NG GitHub Repository for updated releases that address this vulnerability. Monitor the project's releases page and security advisories for patches. If a patched version is available, upgrade to the latest release following the standard upgrade procedures documented in the Statping NG Documentation.

Workarounds

• Deploy a reverse proxy (such as nginx or Apache) in front of Statping-ng and implement authentication for all /api/* endpoints
• Use network segmentation to isolate the Statping-ng instance from untrusted networks
• Configure firewall rules to block external access to the /api/users endpoint specifically
• If public status page access is required, use a read-only proxy that only exposes the necessary status information while blocking access to sensitive API endpoints

# Example nginx configuration to require authentication for API endpoints
location /api/ {
    auth_basic "Restricted API Access";
    auth_basic_user_file /etc/nginx/.htpasswd;
    proxy_pass http://statping-backend:8080;
}

# Alternative: Block access to specific sensitive endpoints
location /api/users {
    deny all;
    return 403;
}