CVE-2024-41961
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2024-41961 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Elektra's live search functionality where authenticated users can inject Ruby code that gets executed via an eval() call. This allows remote code execution within the application context. All Elektra deployments with the vulnerable code are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Elektra OpenStack Dashboard
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise: attacker gains shell access, executes arbitrary commands, accesses sensitive data, modifies/deletes files, and potentially pivots to other systems.
Likely Case
Data theft and privilege escalation: attacker extracts OpenStack credentials, modifies cloud resources, and gains administrative control over the Elektra application.
If Mitigated
Limited impact due to network segmentation and strict authentication controls, but still potential for data exposure within the application scope.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated access but is straightforward once credentials are obtained. The eval() sink makes exploitation trivial for attackers with basic Ruby knowledge.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Commit 8bce00be93b95a6512ff68fe86bf9554e486bc02
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/sapcc/elektra/security/advisories/GHSA-6j2h-486h-487q
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Pull the latest Elektra code from GitHub. 2. Apply commit 8bce00be93b95a6512ff68fe86bf9554e486bc02. 3. Restart the Elektra application server. 4. Verify the fix by testing search functionality.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Live Search
allTemporarily disable the vulnerable live search functionality in the application configuration
Modify Elektra configuration to disable search features or comment out search-related routes
Input Validation Filter
allImplement WAF rules or application-level input validation to block Ruby code patterns in search parameters
Add input validation in application controllers to sanitize search terms before processing
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation to isolate Elektra from critical systems
- Enforce strong authentication controls and monitor for suspicious search queries
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if your Elektra deployment includes code from before commit 8bce00be93b95a6512ff68fe86bf9554e486bc02. Review the search functionality code for eval() calls with user input.Check Version:
git log --oneline -1Verify Fix Applied:
Verify that commit 8bce00be93b95a6512ff68fe86bf9554e486bc02 is applied and test search functionality with various inputs to ensure no code execution occurs.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual search queries containing Ruby code patterns
- Multiple failed authentication attempts followed by successful login and search activity
- Application logs showing eval() errors or unusual process execution
Network Indicators:
- HTTP POST requests to search endpoints with encoded Ruby payloads
- Unusual outbound connections from the Elektra server
SIEM Query:
source="elektra.log" AND ("eval" OR "system(" OR "`" OR "%x[") AND "search"