ghost: Weak Authentication
CVE-2024-34451 is a critical-severity weak authentication vulnerability in ghost, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected ghost versions: 5.85.1 and earlier. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.77% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 56% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Check which version of ghost you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- NoneAvailability is not affected.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N. Scored by CISA (ADP).
Official description
Ghost through 5.85.1 allows remote attackers to bypass an authentication rate-limit protection mechanism by using many X-Forwarded-For headers with different values. NOTE: the vendor's position is that Ghost should be installed with a reverse proxy that allows only trusted X-Forwarded-For headers.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Weak Authentication
The product uses an authentication mechanism to restrict access to specific users or identities, but the mechanism does not sufficiently prove that the claimed identity is correct.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Technical write-ups (may include proof of concept)
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in ghost
- 9.0 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
Recent Weak Authentication vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
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