CVE-2024-50334 Scanner

Scoold is a versatile Q&A and knowledge sharing platform widely used by organizations for team collaboration and information exchange. Its purpose is to facilitate seamless communication and knowledge management among teams, enhancing productivity and learning. Scoold provides an intuitive interface for users to ask questions, provide answers, and share knowledge within a secure environment. It is deployed by companies and educational institutions seeking an efficient way to manage and share information among employees or students. The platform supports a variety of features including tagging, voting, and user reputation systems to improve the quality of shared content. Additionally, Scoold's flexibility allows it to integrate with existing systems, making it an attractive solution for organizations looking to streamline knowledge management processes.

The authentication bypass vulnerability in Scoold allows unauthorized users to access sensitive configuration data by exploiting a semicolon path injection on the /api;/config endpoint. This type of security flaw can enable attackers to circumvent standard authentication protocols, gaining access to areas of the application meant to be restricted. By simply appending a semicolon to the URL, individuals can bypass authentication checks, revealing critical configuration information. This specific vulnerability affects versions of Scoold below 1.64.0, highlighting the need for users to update their systems promptly. Once exploited, attackers not only gain access to sensitive data but can potentially use this information for further malicious activities. It underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date software to prevent exploitation through such vulnerabilities.

The vulnerability details indicate that the exploitation occurs via the /api;/config endpoint. Attackers can append a semicolon in the URL, enabling the bypass of authentication mechanisms. In addition, unauthorized users can send PUT requests with a Content-Type of application/hocon to perform file reading operations. This is achieved through HOCON file inclusion, allowing the retrieval of sensitive server configuration files. Successful exploitation grants access to potentially valuable data that could be used for further attacks or exploitation. The vulnerability remains present in versions prior to 1.64.0, making it crucial for administrators to apply appropriate patches. Understanding these technical specifics underscores the need for rigorous security measures and timely software updates.

If successfully exploited, this authentication bypass vulnerability poses significant risks to affected systems. Unauthorized access to sensitive configuration files may expose critical information, such as database credentials or API keys, facilitating further exploitation. Attackers could leverage this information to escalate their privileges, execute unauthorized actions, or expose additional vulnerabilities within the system. Organizations vulnerable to this type of attack may face data breaches, loss of sensitive information, and potential compromise of their entire infrastructure. Consequently, the impact extends beyond data loss, potentially damaging an organization's reputation and leading to financial losses.

REFERENCES

• https://xbow.com/blog/xbow-scoold-vuln/
• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-50334
• https://github.com/Erudika/scoold/releases/tag/1.64.0