CVE-2024-40489: JeecgBoot Injection RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-40489 Overview

CVE-2024-40489 is a critical code injection vulnerability affecting JeecgBoot, a popular open-source low-code development platform. The vulnerability exists in JeecgBoot versions 3.0.0 through 3.5.3 and stems from insufficient character filtering in input validation. This security flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems by sending specially crafted HTTP requests to affected components.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability enables remote attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution without authentication, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and lateral movement within affected networks.

Affected Products

• JeecgBoot versions 3.0.0 to 3.5.3
• Applications built on vulnerable JeecgBoot framework versions
• Systems exposing JeecgBoot services to untrusted networks

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-04-01 - CVE-2024-40489 published to NVD
• 2026-04-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-40489

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code), commonly known as code injection. The flaw exists within JeecgBoot's input processing mechanisms, where user-supplied data is insufficiently filtered before being processed by the application. Due to lax character filtering, malicious input can escape the intended data context and be interpreted as executable code.

The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring any user interaction or prior authentication. An attacker with network access to a vulnerable JeecgBoot instance can craft malicious HTTP requests that bypass the inadequate input validation, resulting in arbitrary code execution on the underlying server with the privileges of the application process.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-40489 lies in JeecgBoot's failure to properly sanitize and validate user-controlled input before processing it within code execution contexts. The application's input filtering mechanisms do not adequately restrict dangerous characters or patterns that could be leveraged to inject and execute arbitrary code. This represents a fundamental input validation failure that allows attacker-controlled data to influence code execution flow.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by:

1. Identifying an exposed JeecgBoot instance running a vulnerable version (3.0.0 to 3.5.3)
2. Crafting a malicious HTTP request containing injection payloads that exploit the lax character filtering
3. Sending the request to vulnerable application components
4. Achieving arbitrary code execution on the target system

The vulnerability manifests in HTTP request processing where user input is inadequately filtered. Technical details and proof-of-concept information are available through the GitHub Gist PoC Script published by security researchers. Additional technical resources are available via the Baidu File Share Link.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-40489

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual HTTP requests containing encoded or obfuscated payloads targeting JeecgBoot endpoints
• Unexpected process spawning or command execution originating from the JeecgBoot application process
• Anomalous outbound network connections from servers hosting JeecgBoot
• Log entries showing malformed or suspicious HTTP request patterns with injection-like character sequences

Detection Strategies

• Deploy web application firewalls (WAF) with rules to detect code injection attempts in HTTP requests
• Implement network intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for JeecgBoot exploitation patterns
• Monitor JeecgBoot application logs for requests containing suspicious characters or encoding patterns
• Utilize endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to identify post-exploitation behaviors such as unusual child processes

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on JeecgBoot instances to capture full HTTP request details for forensic analysis
• Configure real-time alerting for code injection indicators in web server and application logs
• Monitor for unauthorized file system modifications or new file creation in JeecgBoot directories
• Track network traffic for command-and-control communication patterns following potential exploitation

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-40489

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade JeecgBoot to a version newer than 3.5.3 that contains the security fix for this vulnerability
• If immediate patching is not possible, restrict network access to JeecgBoot instances using firewall rules
• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to filter potentially malicious input patterns
• Review system logs for indicators of past exploitation attempts

Patch Information

Organizations should upgrade to the latest version of JeecgBoot that addresses this code injection vulnerability. Review the official JeecgBoot project repository and security advisories for the specific patched version. For detailed technical information about the vulnerability, refer to the GitHub Gist PoC Script for understanding the exploitation mechanism.

Workarounds

• Deploy a reverse proxy or WAF in front of JeecgBoot to filter malicious input patterns before they reach the application
• Implement network segmentation to limit exposure of JeecgBoot instances to trusted networks only
• Apply strict firewall rules to allow only authorized IP addresses to access JeecgBoot services
• Consider temporarily disabling affected components if they are not critical to operations until a patch can be applied

# Example: Restrict access to JeecgBoot using iptables
# Allow only trusted IP ranges to access the application port
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8080 -s 10.0.0.0/8 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8080 -j DROP