CVE-2024-45479: Apache Ranger SSRF Vulnerability

CVE-2024-45479 Overview

CVE-2024-45479 is a Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability affecting the Edit Service Page of the Apache Ranger UI in Apache Ranger Version 2.4.0. This vulnerability allows attackers to manipulate server-side requests, potentially enabling unauthorized access to internal resources and services that should not be accessible from external networks.

SSRF vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Apache Ranger is deployed, as the platform serves as a centralized security framework for managing fine-grained access control across various Hadoop ecosystem components.

Critical Impact

This SSRF vulnerability could allow unauthenticated attackers to bypass network restrictions and access internal services, potentially leading to data exfiltration, internal network reconnaissance, or further exploitation of backend systems.

Affected Products

• Apache Ranger 2.4.0
• Apache Ranger versions prior to 2.5.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-01-21 - CVE CVE-2024-45479 published to NVD
• 2025-06-10 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-45479

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists within the Edit Service Page component of the Apache Ranger UI. Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) occurs when an application fetches a remote resource based on user-supplied input without properly validating or sanitizing the URL. In the context of Apache Ranger, this flaw allows an attacker to craft malicious requests that the server will execute on behalf of the attacker.

The vulnerability is classified under CWE-918 (Server-Side Request Forgery), which occurs when a web application fetches a remote resource without sufficiently validating the user-supplied URL. This can be exploited to force the application to send crafted requests to unexpected destinations, even when protected by a firewall, VPN, or other network access controls.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient input validation within the Edit Service Page functionality. When users interact with the service editing interface, the application fails to properly sanitize and validate URL parameters or service endpoint configurations. This oversight allows attackers to inject arbitrary URLs that the server will fetch, effectively turning the Apache Ranger server into a proxy for malicious requests.

The lack of server-side URL validation means that internal IP addresses, localhost references, and cloud metadata endpoints could all be targeted through this vulnerability.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2024-45479 is network-based, requiring no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by:

1. Accessing the vulnerable Edit Service Page in the Apache Ranger UI
2. Injecting a malicious URL in a parameter that triggers a server-side request
3. The Apache Ranger server processes the request and fetches the attacker-controlled or internal resource
4. The response is returned to the attacker, potentially exposing sensitive internal information

This SSRF vulnerability can be leveraged to scan internal networks, access cloud metadata services (such as AWS EC2 metadata at 169.254.169.254), or interact with internal services that trust requests from the Apache Ranger server.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-45479

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual outbound requests from the Apache Ranger server to internal IP addresses or metadata endpoints
• HTTP requests to cloud metadata services (e.g., 169.254.169.254) originating from the Ranger server
• Unexpected network connections from the Ranger server to internal services not part of normal operations
• Log entries showing requests to localhost or private IP ranges from the Edit Service Page functionality

Detection Strategies

• Monitor network traffic from Apache Ranger servers for connections to internal IP ranges, localhost, or cloud metadata endpoints
• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SSRF payloads in requests to the Edit Service Page
• Review Apache Ranger access logs for suspicious activity patterns in the service editing functionality
• Deploy network intrusion detection signatures targeting common SSRF patterns and internal network enumeration

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging for the Apache Ranger UI and monitor for requests containing internal IP addresses or unusual hostnames
• Configure alerting for outbound connections from Apache Ranger to non-standard ports or internal network segments
• Implement egress filtering and monitor for violations from the Apache Ranger server
• Regularly audit Apache Ranger service configurations for any unauthorized modifications

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-45479

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Apache Ranger to version 2.5.0 or later immediately, as this version contains the security fix
• Review Apache Ranger server logs for any evidence of exploitation attempts
• Implement network segmentation to limit the Apache Ranger server's ability to access sensitive internal resources
• Deploy WAF rules to block common SSRF payloads targeting the Edit Service Page

Patch Information

Apache has addressed this vulnerability in Apache Ranger version 2.5.0. Organizations running Apache Ranger 2.4.0 should upgrade to the patched version as soon as possible. For detailed patch information and upgrade instructions, refer to the Apache Ranger Vulnerability Report.

Additional technical discussion regarding this vulnerability can be found in the OpenWall OSS-Security Discussion.

Workarounds

• Restrict network access to the Apache Ranger UI to trusted IP addresses only using firewall rules
• Implement egress filtering on the Apache Ranger server to prevent connections to internal networks and metadata endpoints
• Deploy a reverse proxy in front of Apache Ranger with URL validation rules to block SSRF payloads
• Consider disabling or restricting access to the Edit Service Page functionality until the patch can be applied

# Example: Restrict network access to Apache Ranger UI using iptables
# Allow only specific trusted networks to access the Ranger UI port
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 6080 -s 10.0.0.0/8 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 6080 -j DROP

# Block outbound connections to internal metadata endpoints
iptables -A OUTPUT -d 169.254.169.254 -j DROP
iptables -A OUTPUT -d 127.0.0.0/8 -j DROP