CVE-2024-7015: Profelis Passbox Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2024-7015 Overview

CVE-2024-7015 is a Missing Authentication for Critical Function vulnerability [CWE-306] affecting Profelis Informatics and Consulting PassBox versions before v1.2. The flaw allows attackers to abuse critical functions without proper authentication, enabling unauthorized access to sensitive password management operations. PassBox is a password management solution, making this vulnerability significant for organizations relying on it to safeguard credentials.

The vulnerability carries a CVSS 4.0 base score of 7.1 (High) with network-based exploitation and low attack complexity. While no public exploit code or active exploitation has been reported, the network-accessible nature of the issue raises the risk profile for exposed instances.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated network attackers can abuse critical PassBox functions, potentially exposing stored credentials and compromising password management workflows.

Affected Products

• Profelis PassBox versions prior to v1.2
• Profelis Informatics and Consulting PassBox password management solution
• All deployments exposing PassBox endpoints on reachable networks

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-09-09 - CVE-2024-7015 published to NVD
• 2025-10-14 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-7015

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability stems from missing authentication controls on critical functions within PassBox. Attackers reaching the application over the network can invoke privileged operations without presenting valid credentials. This category of weakness [CWE-306] occurs when an application exposes sensitive functionality but fails to verify the identity of the requester before executing the action.

In password management contexts, critical functions typically include credential retrieval, vault access, user management, and configuration changes. When these endpoints lack authentication, an attacker with network reachability can interact with them directly. The Turkish national cyber security center (USOM) issued advisory TR-24-1418 confirming the issue and tracking remediation.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper enforcement of authentication on sensitive PassBox endpoints. The application logic fails to validate session tokens or credentials before processing requests to protected functions. This design flaw allows requests originating from unauthenticated sources to reach code paths intended only for authorized users.

Attack Vector

An attacker requires network access to a vulnerable PassBox instance. The attacker sends crafted HTTP requests directly to the exposed critical functions without supplying valid authentication. The CVSS vector indicates low privileges may be required (PR:L) along with attack prerequisites (AT:P), suggesting some preconditions apply. Successful exploitation results in high confidentiality impact on the vulnerable system and additional confidentiality impact on subsequent systems whose credentials are stored within PassBox.

No verified proof-of-concept code is publicly available. Refer to the USOM Security Notification TR-24-1418 for vendor-coordinated technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-7015

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected HTTP requests to PassBox administrative or vault endpoints lacking valid session cookies or authorization headers
• Successful responses (HTTP 200) to sensitive PassBox API calls from unauthenticated sources
• Anomalous credential retrieval activity outside business hours or from unfamiliar source IP addresses
• Audit log gaps or unusual patterns in PassBox access logs that indicate enumeration attempts

Detection Strategies

• Monitor PassBox application logs for requests to privileged endpoints that do not include valid authentication tokens
• Deploy web application firewall rules to identify direct access attempts to PassBox API paths from untrusted networks
• Correlate PassBox access events with identity provider authentication logs to detect mismatches between application access and verified user sessions
• Baseline normal PassBox usage patterns and alert on deviations such as bulk credential reads

Monitoring Recommendations

• Forward PassBox application and access logs to a centralized SIEM for continuous analysis
• Enable network flow monitoring on segments hosting PassBox to identify unauthorized client connections
• Implement alerts for any PassBox configuration changes, user additions, or vault exports
• Review egress traffic from PassBox servers for signs of credential exfiltration to external endpoints

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-7015

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade PassBox to version 1.2 or later, which contains the authentication fix for CVE-2024-7015
• Restrict network access to PassBox instances using firewall rules limiting connectivity to authorized administrative subnets
• Audit existing PassBox accounts and rotate stored credentials that may have been accessed by unauthorized parties
• Review PassBox access logs for the period preceding remediation to identify potential abuse

Patch Information

Profelis addressed the vulnerability in PassBox v1.2. Organizations running earlier versions must upgrade to remediate the missing authentication issue. Consult the USOM Security Notification TR-24-1418 for vendor guidance and update procedures.

Workarounds

• Place PassBox behind a reverse proxy that enforces authentication before traffic reaches the application
• Apply IP allowlisting at the network layer to restrict PassBox access to trusted administrative hosts only
• Require VPN or zero-trust network access for all connections to PassBox until patching is complete
• Disable or block external exposure of PassBox management interfaces from the public internet

# Example: restrict PassBox access to a trusted admin subnet using iptables
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 10.10.50.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP