CVE-2024-56799: Simofa Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2024-56799 Overview

CVE-2024-56799 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability discovered in Simofa, a tool designed to help automate static website building and deployment. Prior to version 0.2.7, a design mistake in the RouteLoader class allows some API routes to be publicly accessible when they should require authentication. This Missing Authentication for Critical Function (CWE-306) vulnerability enables unauthenticated attackers to access protected API endpoints over the network.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated remote attackers can access protected API routes, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, configuration manipulation, and compromise of the static website deployment pipeline.

Affected Products

• Simofa versions prior to 0.2.7
• Simofa RouteLoader class API routing component
• Static website deployment pipelines using vulnerable Simofa versions

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-12-30 - CVE-2024-56799 published to NVD
• 2024-12-30 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-56799

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from an authentication bypass flaw classified under CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Function). The RouteLoader class in Simofa contains a design flaw that fails to properly enforce authentication requirements on certain API routes. As a result, endpoints that should be protected become accessible without any authentication, allowing unauthenticated users to interact with sensitive functionality.

The network-based attack vector requires no privileges or user interaction, making exploitation straightforward for attackers who can reach the affected service. The scope is changed, meaning successful exploitation can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component itself. Attackers can achieve high confidentiality and integrity impact, potentially accessing sensitive configuration data and manipulating deployment workflows.

Root Cause

The root cause lies in a design mistake within the RouteLoader class. This class is responsible for mapping API routes and enforcing access controls. Due to improper implementation, the authentication middleware or guards are not correctly applied to all routes that require protection, leaving certain API endpoints exposed to unauthenticated access.

Attack Vector

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by directly accessing the unprotected API endpoints over the network. Since authentication checks are missing on certain routes, the attacker can:

1. Enumerate accessible API endpoints on the Simofa deployment
2. Send requests directly to unprotected routes without credentials
3. Access sensitive data or trigger administrative functions that should be restricted
4. Potentially compromise the entire static website build and deployment pipeline

    <parent>
        <groupId>dev.truewinter.simofa</groupId>
        <artifactId>simofa</artifactId>
-        <version>0.2.6</version>
+        <version>0.2.7</version>
    </parent>

    <artifactId>api</artifactId>

Source: GitHub Commit

The patch updates the version from 0.2.6 to 0.2.7, which includes fixes to the RouteLoader class to properly enforce authentication on all protected API routes.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-56799

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected API requests to Simofa endpoints from unauthenticated sources
• Access logs showing successful responses to protected routes without valid authentication tokens
• Unusual modifications to website build configurations or deployment settings
• Anomalous traffic patterns targeting the Simofa API service

Detection Strategies

• Review web server and application access logs for requests to API endpoints that lack authentication headers
• Implement API monitoring to detect requests that bypass authentication mechanisms
• Audit Simofa deployment configurations for unauthorized changes
• Deploy network intrusion detection rules to identify reconnaissance activity against API routes

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for all Simofa API endpoints with request authentication status
• Set up alerts for API access patterns that indicate authentication bypass attempts
• Monitor for unauthorized changes to static website build configurations
• Implement real-time monitoring of deployment pipeline activities for anomalies

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-56799

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Simofa to version 0.2.7 or later immediately
• Restrict network access to the Simofa API service using firewall rules or network segmentation
• Review access logs for any signs of unauthorized access to API endpoints
• Audit current configurations and deployments for unauthorized modifications

Patch Information

The vulnerability has been patched in Simofa version 0.2.7. The fix addresses the design flaw in the RouteLoader class by ensuring authentication is properly enforced on all protected API routes. Users should update to this version or later by modifying their Maven configuration:

For detailed information about the security fix, refer to the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-83qw-5qq5-v7pq and the associated commit.

Workarounds

• Place the Simofa service behind a reverse proxy that enforces authentication for all API routes
• Implement network-level access controls to restrict API access to trusted IP addresses only
• Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to add an additional authentication layer
• Disable or block access to the Simofa API service until the patch can be applied

# Example: Restrict Simofa API access using iptables
# Allow only trusted IP ranges to access the API 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