CVE-2024-7952: Hardcoded Links Information Disclosure

CVE-2024-7952 Overview

CVE-2024-7952 is a data exposure vulnerability affecting a Rockwell Automation product. The flaw stems from hardcoded links embedded in the source code that reference JSON files reachable without authentication. An unauthenticated remote attacker who obtains these links can retrieve customer data directly from the exposed endpoints.

The issue is classified under [CWE-798] (Use of Hard-coded Credentials) and requires no privileges, user interaction, or elevated access complexity to exploit. Rockwell Automation documented the flaw in Security Advisory SD1702.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated network attackers can access JSON files containing customer data by leveraging hardcoded links present in the product source code.

Affected Products

Rockwell Automation product identified in advisory SD1702
Refer to the Rockwell Automation Security Advisory SD1702 for the affected version list
No additional vendor CPE data published in NVD at time of writing

Discovery Timeline

2026-09-01 - CVE-2024-7952 published to NVD
2026-09-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-7952

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists because the affected product ships with hardcoded URLs in its source code. These URLs point to JSON files hosted on infrastructure that does not enforce authentication on the requesting client. An attacker who examines the client-side code or observes application traffic can extract the links and issue direct HTTP requests to retrieve the JSON content.

The exposed data includes customer information according to Rockwell Automation's advisory. Because the JSON endpoints lack access controls, any network-adjacent actor with knowledge of the URLs can enumerate and download the data at will. The attack does not require authenticated sessions, tokens, or user interaction.

The vulnerability aligns with a broader class of insecure design issues where sensitive resources are protected only by URL obscurity rather than an authentication layer.

Root Cause

The root cause is twofold. First, the product embeds static references to JSON files directly in shippable source code, making the URLs discoverable through client inspection. Second, the backing endpoints serving those JSON files enforce no authentication or authorization checks. Together these conditions expose customer data to any actor who can read the client code or intercept application requests.

Attack Vector

An attacker retrieves the hardcoded URLs by inspecting the client bundle, decompiling the application, or monitoring network traffic during legitimate use. The attacker then sends unauthenticated HTTP requests to the JSON endpoints and reads the returned customer data. No credentials, session tokens, or lateral movement are required. The attack is fully executable from the network with a standard HTTP client.

No verified proof-of-concept code is publicly available. Refer to the Rockwell Automation Security Advisory SD1702 for vendor-provided technical detail.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-7952

Indicators of Compromise

Unauthenticated HTTP GET requests to JSON resource paths hosted on the vendor infrastructure referenced in advisory SD1702.
Anomalous volume of requests to static JSON endpoints from unexpected source IP ranges or geographies.
User-Agent strings associated with scripting tools (curl, python-requests, wget) requesting product-specific JSON URLs.

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server and CDN access logs for requests to the JSON URLs identified in the vendor advisory and flag traffic that lacks an authenticated session context.
Perform static analysis of the deployed client code to identify any hardcoded URLs referencing external JSON resources.
Correlate outbound requests from user endpoints to the vendor JSON hosts to identify unusual scraping patterns.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable rate limiting and anomaly alerting on the affected JSON endpoints once access controls are added.
Forward vendor and application logs into a centralized analytics platform for retrospective hunts across historical access records.
Alert on any direct client fetches of resources that bypass the standard authenticated application flow.

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-7952

Immediate Actions Required

Review the Rockwell Automation Security Advisory SD1702 and apply the vendor-supplied fix to all affected deployments.
Rotate or revoke any customer data considered exposed if logs indicate unauthorized access to the JSON endpoints.
Audit application source and client bundles for other hardcoded URLs that reference sensitive resources.

Patch Information

Rockwell Automation has published remediation guidance in Security Advisory SD1702. Customers should follow the advisory to obtain the corrected product version or configuration change that removes the hardcoded links and enforces authentication on the JSON endpoints. Consult the advisory for exact version identifiers and update procedures.

Workarounds

Restrict network access to the vendor JSON hosts using egress filtering or web proxy allow lists until the patch is applied.
Place a reverse proxy or web application firewall in front of the exposed endpoints and require authenticated tokens for access.
Monitor and log all requests to the affected URLs and block unauthorized source addresses at the perimeter.

bash

# Example: block outbound requests to affected JSON paths at a proxy until patched
# Replace <affected-host> and <path> with values from advisory SD1702
deny url_regex ^https?://<affected-host>/.*/<path>\.json$