CVE-2024-7327

Executive Summary

CVE-2024-7327 describes a critical SQL injection vulnerability identified in Xinhu RockOA version 2.6.2. The flaw exists within the dataAction function of the /webmain/task/openapi/openmodhetongAction.php file, where improper handling of the nickName argument allows for remote exploitation. An exploit for this vulnerability has been publicly disclosed, increasing the urgency for mitigation by affected organizations.

Technical Analysis

The vulnerability, classified as a critical SQL injection (CWE-89), is present in Xinhu RockOA 2.6.2. Specifically, the dataAction function within the /webmain/task/openapi/openmodhetongAction.php file is susceptible to manipulation. Attackers can inject malicious SQL code into the nickName argument. This indicates that the application likely constructs SQL queries dynamically using user-supplied input from the nickName parameter without adequate sanitization, validation, or the use of parameterized queries. When an unvalidated nickName argument containing SQL special characters or statements is processed, it is directly appended to an underlying database query. This allows an attacker to alter the query's logic, leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion. The attack is remote, meaning no prior authentication or local access to the system is required, making it a significant threat to internet-facing instances of Xinhu RockOA.

Exploitation Scenarios

Exploitation of CVE-2024-7327 can be initiated remotely and follows a typical SQL injection attack pattern:

1. Reconnaissance/Target Identification: An attacker would first identify instances of Xinhu RockOA 2.6.2 accessible on the internet. This could be achieved using search engines like Shodan with dorks such as http.html:"RockOA" or by directly probing web applications for the presence of the /webmain/task/openapi/openmodhetongAction.php endpoint.
2. Triggering the Flaw: The attacker sends a specially crafted HTTP request (likely GET or POST) to the vulnerable endpoint: /webmain/task/openapi/openmodhetongAction.php. Within this request, the nickName argument is supplied with a malicious SQL payload.
3. Payload/Execution Method: The malicious payload, embedded within the nickName argument, will be processed by the dataAction function. For instance, an attacker could supply nickName=' OR 1=1 -- - to bypass authentication (if the nickName is used in a login query), or nickName=' UNION SELECT @@version, user(), database() -- - to extract database version, user, and current database name. More advanced payloads could leverage database-specific functions (e.g., SLEEP() for blind SQL injection, LOAD_FILE() or INTO OUTFILE for file system interaction if database privileges allow) to achieve data exfiltration or even remote code execution. The application's backend database will then execute this modified query.
4. Post-Exploitation Impact: Successful exploitation can lead to a range of severe impacts. This includes unauthorized access to sensitive information stored in the database (e.g., user credentials, personal data, financial records), alteration or deletion of critical business data, and potentially full compromise of the database server. If the database user has elevated privileges and the underlying operating system is configured insecurely, the attacker might achieve remote code execution on the server hosting the Xinhu RockOA application, leading to complete system compromise. While no public PoC is available, the attack chain is inferred directly from the vulnerability class and described vulnerable components.

Impact Assessment

The CVSS score of 5.3 indicates a medium severity, however, the NVD description specifically classifies it as "critical." This discrepancy may be due to the vector string being "N/A" and the base metrics not fully capturing the potential impact, especially given the "public disclosure" and "may be used" notes. SQL injection vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-7327 pose a significant risk, particularly because the attack can be initiated remotely. The primary impacts include:

• Confidentiality: High. Successful SQL injection allows attackers to bypass authentication and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data stored within the database. This could include personally identifiable information (PII), credentials, intellectual property, or other confidential business data.
• Integrity: High. Attackers can modify, delete, or inject new data into the database, leading to data corruption, service disruption, or fraudulent activities.
• Availability: Medium. While not always direct, data deletion or corruption can render parts of the application or critical data unavailable. Resource exhaustion from complex injected queries could also impact availability.

The affected system is Xinhu RockOA 2.6.2, which is likely used for business process management or similar enterprise functions, meaning a successful compromise could impact core business operations, financial data, and customer trust. The public disclosure of the exploit further amplifies the risk, as it lowers the barrier for less sophisticated attackers. The vendor's unresponsiveness indicates that no official patch is available, leaving all instances of Xinhu RockOA 2.6.2 vulnerable.

Detection Guidance

Sigma Rule

title: Xinhu RockOA CVE-2024-7327 SQL Injection Attempt
id: 5a1b3c4d-e5f6-7890-1234-567890abcdef
status: experimental
description: Detects attempts to exploit CVE-2024-7327, an SQL injection vulnerability in Xinhu RockOA 2.6.2, targeting the 'dataAction' function via the 'nickName' argument.
author: ValterSit Threat Intelligence
date: 2024/07/30
modified: 2024/07/30
references:
  - https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-7327
tags:
  - attack.initial_access
  - attack.t1190
  - cve.2024.7327
  - application.web
  - exploitation
logsource:
  category: webserver
  product: iis # Adjust based on actual web server (apache, nginx, etc.)
detection:
  selection:
    cs-uri-stem|contains: '/webmain/task/openapi/openmodhetongAction.php'
    cs-uri-query|contains:
      - 'nickName='
      - '%27' # single quote
      - '%22' # double quote
      - ' OR '
      - ' UNION '
      - ' SELECT '
      - ' SLEEP('
      - ' WAITFOR DELAY '
      - '--'
      - '/*'
      - '%23' # hash (#)
      - '%2b' # plus sign (+)
  condition: selection
level: high

YARA Rule

rule Xinhu_RockOA_CVE_2024_7327_SQLi
{
  meta:
    author = "ValterSit Threat Intelligence"
    date = "2024-07-30"
    description = "Detects exploitation attempts for CVE-2024-7327 in Xinhu RockOA access logs."
    cve = "CVE-2024-7327"
    severity = "HIGH"
    reference = "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-7327"
  strings:
    $path = "/webmain/task/openapi/openmodhetongAction.php" ascii wide nocase
    $param = "nickName=" ascii wide nocase
    $sqli1 = " OR 1=1" ascii wide nocase
    $sqli2 = " UNION SELECT" ascii wide nocase
    $sqli3 = " SLEEP(" ascii wide nocase
    $sqli4 = " WAITFOR DELAY " ascii wide nocase
    $sqli5 = "--" ascii wide
    $sqli6 = "/*" ascii wide
    $sqli7 = "' " ascii wide // space after quote to catch termination
    $sqli8 = "%27" ascii wide // URL encoded single quote
    $sqli9 = "%23" ascii wide // URL encoded hash for comments
    $sqli10 = "%2b" ascii wide // URL encoded plus sign
    $sqli11 = "outfile" ascii wide nocase
    $sqli12 = "load_file" ascii wide nocase

  condition:
    all of ($path, $param) and (1 of ($sqli*))
}

Suricata IDS Rule

alert http any any -> any any (msg:"CVE-2024-7327 Xinhu RockOA SQL Injection Attempt"; flow:established,to_server; http.method; http.uri; content:"/webmain/task/openapi/openmodhetongAction.php"; http.uri; content:"nickName="; pcre:"/nickName=[^&]*(?:(?:%27|'|%22|\"|%2b|\+|union(?:%2b|\+)?select|sleep\(|waitfor%20delay|--|#|\/\*|\%23|\%2d\-%2d))/i"; classtype:attempted-user; sid:2024732701; rev:1;)

Elastic Detection

{
  "query": {
    "bool": {
      "must": [
        {
          "match_phrase": {
            "url.path": "/webmain/task/openapi/openmodhetongAction.php"
          }
        },
        {
          "wildcard": {
            "url.query": "*nickName=*"
          }
        },
        {
          "bool": {
            "should": [
              { "wildcard": { "url.query": "*' OR *" } },
              { "wildcard": { "url.query": "*%27 OR *" } },
              { "wildcard": { "url.query": "* UNION SELECT *" } },
              { "wildcard": { "url.query": "* SLEEP(*" } },
              { "wildcard": { "url.query": "* WAITFOR DELAY *" } },
              { "wildcard": { "url.query": "*--" } },
              { "wildcard": { "url.query": "*/*" } },
              { "wildcard": { "url.query": "*%23*" } },
              { "wildcard": { "url.query": "*%2b*" } }
            ]
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  },
  "min_should_match": 1
}

Splunk SPL Query

index=web sourcetype=(access_combined OR iis)
uri="/webmain/task/openapi/openmodhetongAction.php"
(uri_query="*nickName=*' OR *" OR
 uri_query="*nickName=*%27 OR *" OR
 uri_query="*nickName=* UNION SELECT *" OR
 uri_query="*nickName=* SLEEP(*" OR
 uri_query="*nickName=* WAITFOR DELAY *" OR
 uri_query="*nickName=*--" OR
 uri_query="*nickName=*/*" OR
 uri_query="*nickName=*%23*" OR
 uri_query="*nickName=*%2b*")
| table _time, src_ip, uri, uri_query, http_method, user_agent

Wazuh OSSEC Rule

<group name="web_attack,sqli,">
  <rule id="100001" level="10">
    <if_sid>31100</if_sid> <!-- Parent rule for web attacks -->
    <url>/webmain/task/openapi/openmodhetongAction.php</url>
    <options>nocase</options>
    <description>Xinhu RockOA CVE-2024-7327 SQL Injection Attempt.</description>
    <group>attack,</group>
  </rule>

  <rule id="100002" level="12" overwrite="yes">
    <if_matched_sid>100001</if_matched_sid>
    <regex>(?i)nickName=.*(?:'|%27|union\s+select|sleep\(|waitfor\s+delay|--|\/\*|%23)</regex>
    <description>Multiple SQL Injection patterns detected in nickName parameter for CVE-2024-7327.</description>
    <group>sqli,</group>
  </rule>
</group>

Mitigation & Patch Guidance

The vendor, Xinhu, has been unresponsive regarding this vulnerability, and consequently, there is no official patch or upgrade available for Xinhu RockOA 2.6.2. The patch confidence is 0/4 (UNPATCHED). Organizations utilizing this software version are advised to implement the following immediate mitigations and long-term hardening strategies:

1. Immediate Mitigations:

   • Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy and configure a WAF to inspect and filter incoming HTTP requests. Custom rules should be implemented to specifically block requests targeting /webmain/task/openapi/openmodhetongAction.php that contain SQL injection patterns within the nickName parameter.
   • Network Segmentation: Isolate the Xinhu RockOA application server in a segmented network zone to minimize potential lateral movement in case of a breach.
   • Access Control: Restrict network access to the RockOA application only to necessary IP ranges or authenticated users, if possible.
   • Remove Public Exposure: If the application does not require public internet access, take it offline or place it behind a VPN.
   • Emergency Patching (Manual/Temporary): If feasible and within organizational risk tolerance, review the source code of /webmain/task/openapi/openmodhetongAction.php and manually implement input sanitization or parameterization for the nickName argument. This should only be considered a temporary fix until an official vendor patch is released, and only performed by experienced developers who understand the potential risks.

2. Patch/Upgrade Steps:

   • Monitor Vendor for Updates: Regularly check Xinhu's official channels for any announcements or releases of patches addressing CVE-2024-7327 or newer, more secure versions of RockOA.
   • Plan for Upgrade: If a patched version becomes available, plan for an immediate upgrade following vendor guidelines and thorough testing in a non-production environment.

3. Long-Term Hardening:

   • Secure Coding Practices: Adopt secure coding practices, specifically emphasizing the use of parameterized queries (prepared statements) for all database interactions to prevent SQL injection vulnerabilities proactively.
   • Least Privilege: Ensure that the database user account connected to the RockOA application has only the minimum necessary privileges to perform its functions. Avoid using administrative database accounts for the application.
   • Regular Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits, penetration tests, and code reviews on web applications to identify and remediate vulnerabilities before they are exploited.
   • Application Hardening: Apply general web application hardening techniques, including disabling unnecessary services, ensuring up-to-date operating systems and libraries, and robust error handling that does not reveal sensitive system information.

References

• National Vulnerability Database (NVD):
  • https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-7327
• Vulnerability-Database.Com (VDB-273250):
  • https://vuldb.com/?id.273250
• Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE-89 - Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection')):
  • https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/89.html
• MITRE ATT&CK - Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190):
  • https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1190/