CVE-2024-5276: Fortra FileCatalyst Workflow SQLi Flaw

CVE-2024-5276 Overview

CVE-2024-5276 is a critical SQL Injection vulnerability affecting Fortra FileCatalyst Workflow, a managed file transfer solution used by organizations for secure data transfer operations. This vulnerability allows attackers to modify application data through malicious SQL queries, potentially leading to the creation of unauthorized administrative users and deletion or modification of data within the application database.

The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited without authentication when anonymous access is enabled on the Workflow system. In environments where anonymous access is disabled, an authenticated user would be required to exploit the flaw. Notably, while this SQL Injection vulnerability enables data manipulation and administrative access creation, data exfiltration via SQL injection is not possible through this specific attack vector.

Critical Impact

Attackers can create administrative users and modify or delete application database data. Systems with anonymous access enabled are vulnerable to unauthenticated exploitation.

Affected Products

• Fortra FileCatalyst Workflow 5.1.6 Build 135 and earlier
• Fortra FileCatalyst Workflow 5.1.6 Build 130
• Fortra FileCatalyst Workflow 5.1.6 Build 126
• Fortra FileCatalyst Workflow 5.1.6 Build 114
• Fortra FileCatalyst Workflow 5.1.6 Build 112
• All versions of FileCatalyst Workflow from 5.1.6 Build 135 and earlier

Discovery Timeline

• June 25, 2024 - CVE-2024-5276 published to NVD
• April 4, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-5276

Vulnerability Analysis

This SQL Injection vulnerability (CWE-89) stems from improper input validation (CWE-20) within the Fortra FileCatalyst Workflow application. The flaw allows attackers to inject malicious SQL statements that are executed by the underlying database, enabling unauthorized modification of application data.

The attack can be performed remotely over the network without requiring user interaction. The vulnerability's impact is primarily on the integrity and availability of the system—attackers can modify or delete database records and create administrative accounts to establish persistent access. The confidentiality impact is noted as none because data exfiltration through this particular SQL injection vector is not achievable.

The exploitation requirements vary based on the target system's configuration. Systems configured with anonymous access enabled present the highest risk as they allow unauthenticated exploitation. Organizations that have disabled anonymous access have a reduced attack surface, as exploitation would require valid user credentials.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-5276 is improper input validation and sanitization of user-supplied data before it is incorporated into SQL queries. The application fails to properly parameterize database queries, allowing attacker-controlled input to be interpreted as SQL commands rather than data. This lack of proper input handling enables SQL Injection attacks that can manipulate the application's database layer.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is network-based, meaning attackers can exploit it remotely without physical access to the target system. The exploitation methodology follows a typical SQL Injection pattern:

1. Reconnaissance - Attacker identifies a FileCatalyst Workflow installation and determines if anonymous access is enabled
2. Injection Point Discovery - Attacker locates input fields or parameters that are vulnerable to SQL injection
3. Payload Crafting - Attacker constructs malicious SQL statements designed to create administrative users or modify database records
4. Exploitation - The crafted SQL payload is submitted to the application, which executes it against the database
5. Persistence - Using newly created administrative accounts, the attacker can maintain persistent access to the system

The vulnerability allows for immediate impact through data manipulation and administrative account creation. For detailed technical analysis, refer to the Tenable Security Research Analysis.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-5276

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected administrative user accounts appearing in FileCatalyst Workflow
• Anomalous database modification events or unexplained data deletions
• Unusual HTTP requests containing SQL syntax characters (e.g., single quotes, UNION statements, semicolons) targeting the Workflow application
• Authentication events for newly created accounts with no legitimate origin

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns in requests to FileCatalyst Workflow endpoints
• Enable detailed logging on the FileCatalyst Workflow application and regularly audit for suspicious query patterns
• Monitor database audit logs for unauthorized INSERT, UPDATE, or DELETE operations, particularly those affecting user account tables
• Deploy network intrusion detection systems (NIDS) with signatures for SQL injection attack patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Review FileCatalyst Workflow user account lists regularly to identify unauthorized administrative accounts
• Configure alerts for database schema changes or unexpected privilege escalations within the application
• Monitor network traffic to FileCatalyst Workflow servers for anomalous request patterns or high volumes of failed authentication attempts
• Implement file integrity monitoring on critical application configuration files

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-5276

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the security patch from Fortra immediately to all affected FileCatalyst Workflow installations
• Disable anonymous access on FileCatalyst Workflow systems if not required for business operations
• Conduct an immediate audit of all administrative accounts in the application to identify any unauthorized users
• Review database logs for signs of exploitation or data manipulation

Patch Information

Fortra has released a security advisory and patch for this vulnerability. Organizations should upgrade FileCatalyst Workflow to a version newer than 5.1.6 Build 135. Detailed patching instructions and the security advisory are available from Fortra:

• Fortra Security Advisory - SQL Injection
• Fortra Security Advisory FI-2024-008

Workarounds

• Disable anonymous access to FileCatalyst Workflow if it is currently enabled and not essential for operations
• Implement network-level access controls to restrict access to FileCatalyst Workflow to trusted IP addresses only
• Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) configured with SQL injection protection rules in front of the FileCatalyst Workflow application
• Ensure the database account used by FileCatalyst Workflow follows the principle of least privilege to limit the impact of successful exploitation

# Example: Network-level restriction using iptables (adapt to your environment)
# Restrict access to FileCatalyst Workflow port to trusted networks only
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8080 -s 10.0.0.0/8 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8080 -j DROP