CVE-2024-4196: Avaya IP Office RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-4196 Overview

An improper input validation vulnerability was discovered in Avaya IP Office that could allow remote command or code execution via a specially crafted web request to the Web Control component. This vulnerability affects all versions of Avaya IP Office prior to 11.1.3.1, exposing enterprise communications infrastructure to significant risk.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can achieve remote code execution on Avaya IP Office systems through the Web Control component, potentially compromising entire enterprise telephony infrastructure.

Affected Products

• Avaya IP Office (all versions prior to 11.1.3.1)

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-06-25 - CVE-2024-4196 published to NVD
• 2025-10-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-4196

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from improper input validation in the Web Control component of Avaya IP Office. The Web Control component is a web-based administrative interface that allows administrators to manage and configure the IP Office telephony system. Due to insufficient validation of user-supplied input in web requests, attackers can craft malicious requests that bypass security controls and execute arbitrary commands or code on the underlying system.

The vulnerability is classified under CWE-782 (Exposed IOCTL with Insufficient Access Control), indicating that the affected component exposes functionality that should be restricted. The network-accessible nature of the Web Control component means that any system with exposure to untrusted networks is at risk. No authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability, and no user interaction is needed, making it particularly dangerous for internet-facing deployments.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper input validation in the Web Control component's request handling logic. When processing incoming web requests, the application fails to properly sanitize or validate user-supplied data before using it in security-sensitive operations. This allows specially crafted input to escape the intended context and execute arbitrary commands or code on the server.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted HTTP request to the Web Control component of an Avaya IP Office system. The malicious request contains payload data that, due to improper input validation, is processed in an unsafe manner, leading to command or code execution.

The attack can be performed remotely from any network location that can reach the Web Control interface. Organizations with Avaya IP Office systems exposed to the internet or accessible from untrusted network segments are at the highest risk.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-4196

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed HTTP requests to the Web Control component containing suspicious characters or command sequences
• Unexpected processes spawning from the Avaya IP Office service context
• Anomalous network connections originating from the IP Office server to external addresses
• Log entries showing errors or exceptions in the Web Control component related to input processing

Detection Strategies

• Monitor web server access logs for the Web Control component for requests with unusual patterns, encoding, or payloads
• Implement network intrusion detection rules to identify exploitation attempts targeting Avaya IP Office systems
• Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect post-exploitation activity on IP Office servers
• Conduct regular vulnerability scanning to identify unpatched Avaya IP Office installations

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging on the Avaya IP Office Web Control component and forward logs to a SIEM solution
• Configure alerts for any command execution or process creation events originating from the IP Office application
• Monitor network traffic for connections to or from the IP Office server that deviate from normal telephony operations
• Implement application-layer firewall rules to inspect and filter traffic to the Web Control interface

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-4196

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Avaya IP Office to version 11.1.3.1 or later immediately
• Restrict network access to the Web Control component to trusted management networks only
• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to filter potentially malicious requests until patching is complete
• Review system logs for any signs of exploitation or compromise

Patch Information

Avaya has released a security update addressing this vulnerability. Organizations should upgrade to Avaya IP Office version 11.1.3.1 or later to remediate this issue. Detailed patch information and installation guidance is available in the Avaya Security Advisory.

Workarounds

• Restrict access to the Web Control component using firewall rules to allow only trusted administrator IP addresses
• Place Avaya IP Office systems behind a VPN to prevent direct exposure to untrusted networks
• Disable the Web Control component if not required for operations until the patch can be applied
• Implement network segmentation to isolate IP Office systems from general user networks and the internet

# Example firewall rule to restrict Web Control access (iptables)
# Allow only trusted management network (adjust IP range as needed)
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 10.0.0.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP