Zero-Day Vulnerability Discovered in Apache OfBiz ERP System
A serious zero-day vulnerability has been identified in Apache OfBiz, an open-source Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. This flaw poses significant risks as it could potentially allow attackers to bypass essential authentication safeguards. The vulnerability is classified as CVE-2023-51467, linked specifically to a weakness in the login function. It stems from an inadequate patch for a previously disclosed critical vulnerability, CVE-2023-49070, which also requires urgent attention.
The SonicWall Capture Labs research team, which uncovered this vulnerability, highlighted that the security measures implemented to address CVE-2023-49070 were insufficient, leaving the door open for attackers to exploit the authentication bypass. The flawed patch left the core issue unaddressed, enabling unauthorized access to internal resources. SonicWall’s findings are critical, particularly for organizations leveraging Apache OfBiz, as the implications of exploiting this vulnerability could lead to severe data breaches.
CVE-2023-49070 represents a pre-authenticated remote code execution vulnerability in versions of Apache OfBiz prior to 18.12.10. If an attacker successfully exploits this weakness, they could gain complete control over the affected server, allowing them to exfiltrate sensitive information. The vulnerability arises from a deprecated XML-RPC component within Apache OfBiz, underscoring the need for immediate remediation.
According to SonicWall, attackers could leverage CVE-2023-51467 by sending invalid or empty USERNAME and PASSWORD parameters in HTTP requests, thus generating inadvertent authentication success messages. This flaw demonstrates how security parameters, such as “requirePasswordChange” set to “Y,” can enable trivial bypasses of authentication, providing unauthorized access to internal systems.
From a security perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to conduct Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) attacks, allowing for unauthorized server-side interaction with internal applications. Organizations utilizing Apache OfBiz are strongly urged to upgrade to version 18.12.11 or later to mitigate potential threats stemming from both vulnerabilities.
Recent statistics from the Shadowserver Foundation reveal a notable increase in exploitation attempts targeting CVE-2023-49070. This underscores the urgency for businesses to implement security measures swiftly to protect their Apache OfBiz installations from these vulnerabilities. SonicWall has tracked a drastic rise in exploitation attempts for CVE-2023-51467, with figures soaring from 235 attempts on December 27, 2023, to over 26,000 attempts just days later.
The attack tactics associated with these vulnerabilities can be framed within the MITRE ATT&CK framework. They suggest possible initial access techniques and privilege escalation methods that adversaries may employ to exploit these flaws. Businesses must remain vigilant and ensure that their software is updated to guard against potential threats effectively.
In light of these findings, business owners should prioritize reviewing their cybersecurity strategies to address these vulnerabilities and reduce risks. By being proactive in updating their systems and employing robust security practices, organizations can better safeguard their operations against emerging cyber threats.
