Low-Privilege Users Can Access Administrative Functionalities, Risking Data Breaches or System Compromise

What is CVE-2024-3656?

CVE-2024-3656 is a vulnerability found in Keycloak, an open-source identity and access management solution that is widely used for securing applications and services. This flaw allows low-privilege users to access certain administrative functionalities through Keycloak's admin REST API. Such access can severely undermine the security posture of an organization, as it enables unauthorized actions that could lead to data breaches or overall system compromise.

Technical Details

The vulnerability arises from improper access controls in specific endpoints of the Keycloak admin REST API. These endpoints, which should be restricted to high-privilege administrative users, inadvertently allow low-privilege users to perform actions that should normally be prohibited. This misconfiguration can be exploited by malicious actors, who may use these elevated permissions to manipulate user data, alter configurations, or escalate their privileges further within the environment.

Impact of the Vulnerability

1. Data Breaches: Unauthorized access to administrative functionalities can result in exposure of sensitive user information, leading to significant data breaches that could affect both the organization and its clients.

2. System Compromise: Actions taken using this vulnerability could allow attackers to modify system settings or deploy additional malicious tools within the network, increasing the risk of further exploitation and control over the affected systems.

3. Regulatory Non-compliance: Organizations may face compliance issues if they fail to protect sensitive data adequately, resulting in potential legal consequences and reputational damage, particularly in regulated industries.

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