Cacti, a widely used network monitoring tool, has released a critical security update addressing several vulnerabilities, most notably CVE-2024-25641. This vulnerability, with a high severity rating and a CVSS score of 9.1, allows authenticated users with the “Import Templates” permission to execute arbitrary PHP code on the server hosting the Cacti application. The flaw arises from improper sanitization and validation of file names and content within uploaded XML data in the import_package() function, potentially leading to arbitrary file writes on the web server. Security researcher Egidio Romano demonstrated the exploitability of this vulnerability through a proof-of-concept PHP script, showing how attackers can manipulate the import process to inject and execute malicious code, thereby gaining unauthorized access to the system.
In addition to CVE-2024-25641, the latest Cacti update addresses several other security issues. CVE-2024-34340, an authentication bypass issue due to older password hashes, could allow unauthorized access, while CVE-2024-31443 and CVE-2024-27082 are XSS flaws that enable attackers to inject client-side scripts into web pages and manipulate sessions. Other addressed vulnerabilities include a series of SQL injection flaws (CVE-2024-31444, CVE-2024-31458, CVE-2024-31460, and CVE-2024-31445) that could allow attackers to alter database queries and an RCE vulnerability (CVE-2024-31459) linked to file inclusion via plugins. Additionally, CVE-2024-29894 is an XSS vulnerability in the JavaScript-based messaging API that could be exploited to execute malicious scripts.
Given the public availability of technical details and proof-of-concept code for these vulnerabilities, the urgency for Cacti users to update their systems is critical. All users are strongly encouraged to upgrade to version 1.2.27 or later to mitigate the risks associated with these vulnerabilities. This update underscores the ongoing challenges and importance of maintaining up-to-date security practices, particularly for essential network monitoring tools like Cacti.
Users must remain vigilant and proactive in applying security updates to protect their networks from potential threats. Regularly updating software and promptly addressing vulnerabilities is crucial in safeguarding network infrastructure from malicious attacks.
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