CVE-2025-29994

Remediation/Mitigation Strategy for CVE-2025-29994

This document outlines the remediation and mitigation strategy for CVE-2025-29994, a vulnerability affecting the CAP back office application.

1. Vulnerability Description:

  • Vulnerability: Improper Authentication Check at API Endpoint
  • Affected System: CAP back office application
  • Description: The CAP back office application lacks proper authentication checks at its API endpoint. This allows an unauthenticated remote attacker with a valid login ID to bypass authentication and gain unauthorized access to other user accounts by manipulating API input parameters through the API request URL/payload.

2. Severity Assessment:

  • CVSS Score: 8.2 (High)
  • Impact:
    • Confidentiality: Complete access to other user accounts’ data.
    • Integrity: Potential to modify data belonging to other user accounts.
    • Availability: Possible disruption of service for other user accounts.
  • Justification: The vulnerability allows unauthorized access to sensitive user data and potentially allows for data modification, leading to significant confidentiality and integrity breaches.

3. Known Exploits:

  • Exploit Vector: Remote. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability remotely without requiring any prior authentication beyond having a valid login ID.
  • Exploit Details: The attacker manipulates API input parameters through the API request URL or payload. The application fails to adequately verify the identity and authorization of the user associated with the manipulated parameters, leading to access to other user accounts.

4. Remediation Strategy:

  • Immediate Action (Short-Term Mitigation):

    • Implement Input Validation and Sanitization: Immediately implement strict input validation and sanitization on all API endpoints. This includes:
      • Whitelisting: Define acceptable values for all input parameters.
      • Data Type Validation: Ensure that input data matches the expected data type (e.g., integer, string, email).
      • Length Validation: Restrict the length of input parameters to prevent buffer overflows and other injection attacks.
      • Encoding/Decoding: Properly encode and decode input data to prevent injection attacks.
    • Rate Limiting: Implement rate limiting on the API endpoints to prevent brute-force attacks attempting to discover valid login IDs and exploit the vulnerability.
    • Audit Logging: Enhance audit logging to record all API requests, including input parameters and the user account associated with the request. This will aid in identifying and investigating potential exploitation attempts.
    • Monitor API Traffic: Implement monitoring tools to detect unusual API traffic patterns, such as a large number of requests from a single IP address or requests with suspicious input parameters.

  • Long-Term Solution (Permanent Fix):

    • Implement Robust Authentication and Authorization: Implement proper authentication and authorization mechanisms at the API endpoint. This should include:
      • Re-evaluate authentication: Verify the user’s identity and credentials on every API request.
      • Implement a Robust Authorization Model: Implement a role-based access control (RBAC) model or other appropriate authorization mechanism to restrict access to resources based on the user’s roles and permissions.
      • Use Strong Authentication Protocols: Use strong authentication protocols such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) to enhance security.
    • Code Review: Conduct a thorough code review of the affected API endpoint and related code to identify and fix any other potential vulnerabilities.
    • Penetration Testing: Perform penetration testing to verify the effectiveness of the implemented fixes and identify any remaining vulnerabilities.
    • Software Update: Release a patched version of the CAP back office application that addresses the vulnerability. Communicate the update promptly to all users and encourage them to upgrade as soon as possible.

5. Mitigation Strategy:

  • Network Segmentation: Segment the network to limit the potential impact of a successful exploit. Restrict access to sensitive resources to only authorized users and systems.
  • Intrusion Detection/Prevention System (IDS/IPS): Deploy an IDS/IPS to monitor network traffic for malicious activity and automatically block or alert on suspicious activity. Configure the IDS/IPS to specifically look for patterns associated with the exploitation of this vulnerability.
  • Web Application Firewall (WAF): Implement a WAF to filter malicious traffic to the CAP back office application. Configure the WAF to block requests with suspicious input parameters or other indicators of compromise.
  • Incident Response Plan: Update the incident response plan to include procedures for responding to an exploit of this vulnerability. Ensure that the incident response team is trained on the plan and has the necessary resources to respond effectively.

6. Communication:

  • Internal Communication: Communicate the vulnerability and remediation strategy to all relevant stakeholders, including developers, system administrators, security personnel, and management.
  • External Communication: Communicate the vulnerability and the availability of a patch to users of the CAP back office application. Provide clear instructions on how to upgrade to the patched version. Consider informing CERT-In of the implemented fixes.

7. Timeline:

  • Immediate Action (Short-Term Mitigation): Within 24-48 hours of notification.
  • Long-Term Solution (Permanent Fix): Within 1-2 weeks of notification.
  • Continuous Monitoring: Ongoing.

8. Responsibility:

  • Development Team: Responsible for implementing the code fixes.
  • System Administrators: Responsible for deploying the patches and configuring the systems.
  • Security Team: Responsible for conducting security assessments, penetration testing, and monitoring the systems for malicious activity.
  • Management: Responsible for providing resources and support for the remediation and mitigation efforts.

By implementing this comprehensive remediation and mitigation strategy, the organization can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation of CVE-2025-29994 and protect sensitive data and systems.

Assigner

Date

  • Published Date: 2025-03-13 12:15:14
  • Updated Date: 2025-03-13 12:15:14

More Details

CVE-2025-29994