Critical Security Flaw in Citrix ShareFile Storage Zones Controller Actively Exploited, CISA Warns

August 17, 2023

Critical Security Flaw in Citrix ShareFile Storage Zones Controller Actively Exploited, CISA Warns

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has recently added a significant security flaw in Citrix ShareFile Storage Zones Controller to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. This vulnerability, identified as CVE-2023-24489 with a CVSS score of 9.8, is actively being exploited, raising concerns about the security of vulnerable instances.

Description of the Vulnerability

The flaw in question is an improper access control bug that, if successfully exploited, could allow an unauthenticated attacker to compromise vulnerable instances remotely. The vulnerability is rooted in ShareFile’s handling of cryptographic operations, specifically pertaining to file uploads. Exploiting this flaw enables adversaries to upload arbitrary files, resulting in remote code execution.

Scope of the Vulnerability

All currently supported versions of customer-managed ShareFile StorageZones Controller prior to version 5.11.24 are affected by this vulnerability. The first signs of exploitation emerged in late July 2023, indicating that threat actors have been actively leveraging this flaw. However, the exact identity of these threat actors remains unknown. It is noteworthy that the Cl0p ransomware gang has shown a particular interest in exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities in managed file transfer solutions, although their involvement in this specific case has not been confirmed.

Increasing Exploitation Attempts

Threat intelligence firm, GreyNoise, has reported a significant spike in exploitation attempts targeting this specific flaw. On August 15, 2023 alone, they recorded as many as 75 unique IP addresses attempting to exploit the vulnerability. This sudden surge in exploitation attempts highlights the urgency of addressing this security flaw promptly to thwart potential cyber threats.

Remediation and Response

To mitigate the risk posed by this vulnerability, the Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) agencies have been mandated to promptly apply vendor-provided fixes by September 6, 2023. Timely remediation is crucial to safeguard vulnerable systems and networks, preventing potential unauthorized access and the execution of arbitrary code.

Technical Details of the Vulnerability

The vulnerability lies within the application’s implementation of AES encryption with CBC mode and PKCS7 padding. The issue arises from the failure to correctly validate decrypted data. Attackers can exploit this oversight to generate valid padding and execute their attack. This leads to unauthenticated arbitrary file upload and remote code execution, providing attackers with unauthorized access and control over vulnerable instances.

The presence of a critical security flaw in the Citrix ShareFile storage zones controller, actively exploited by unknown threat actors, raises serious concerns for organizations relying on this file transfer solution. It is imperative that organizations promptly apply the recommended security fixes to mitigate potential cyber threats. Timely and effective response to vulnerabilities plays a crucial role in ensuring the overall security posture of systems and networks. With the ever-evolving threat landscape, organizations must remain vigilant and proactive in protecting their data and networks from potential exploits and cyberattacks.

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