CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2024-8196NVD status: Analyzed

mintplex-labs/anything-llm: Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality

CVE-2024-8196 is a critical-severity missing authentication for critical functionality vulnerability in mintplex-labs/anything-llm from Mintplex-labs, with a CVSS 3.0 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists version 1.6.5 as the first without the flaw, so updating mintplex-labs/anything-llm to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.84% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 59% of scored CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Update mintplex-labs/anything-llm to 1.6.5 or a later version.
  2. Update Anythingllm Desktop to 1.6.5 or a later version.
  3. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Mintplex-labsmintplex-labs/anything-llmbefore 1.6.51.6.5
MintplexlabsAnythingllm Desktopbefore 1.6.51.6.5

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
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (huntr.dev).

Official description

In mintplex-labs/anything-llm v1.5.11 desktop version for Windows, the application opens server port 3001 on 0.0.0.0 with no authentication by default. This vulnerability allows an attacker to gain full backend access, enabling them to perform actions such as deleting all data from the workspace.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality

The product does not perform any authentication for functionality that requires a provable user identity or consumes a significant amount of resources.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.
  • Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, consider using libraries with authentication capabilities such as OpenSSL or the ESAPI Authenticator.
  • When storing data in the cloud (e.g., S3 buckets, Azure blobs, Google Cloud Storage, etc.), use the provider's controls to require strong authentication for users who should be allowed to access the data.

More Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality vulnerabilities (CWE-306)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Technical write-ups (may include proof of concept)

Other vulnerabilities in mintplex-labs/anything-llm

All mintplex-labs/anything-llm vulnerabilities

Recent Missing Authentication for Critical Functionality vulnerabilities

Spotted an error? Tell us.