CVE-2024-47192
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in Mahara allows attackers to bypass access controls by crafting malicious export download URLs, enabling unauthorized file downloads. It affects Mahara 23.04.8 and 24.04.4 installations where users can generate export URLs. The risk is limited to authenticated users who can access export functionality.
💻 Affected Systems
- Mahara
📦 What is this software?
Mahara by Mahara
Mahara by Mahara
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
An authenticated attacker could download sensitive files containing user data, configuration information, or other restricted content they shouldn't have access to, potentially leading to data exposure.
Likely Case
An authenticated user exploits the vulnerability to download files they're not authorized to access, resulting in unauthorized data access and potential privacy violations.
If Mitigated
With proper access controls and monitoring, impact is limited to low-sensitivity files or detected attempts before significant data exposure occurs.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires understanding of Mahara's export URL structure and authentication. No public exploit code available at time of analysis.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Versions after 23.04.8 and 24.04.4
Vendor Advisory: https://mahara.org/interaction/forum/topic.php?id=9594
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Upgrade Mahara to latest version beyond affected releases. 2. Apply any security patches provided by Mahara. 3. Verify export functionality works correctly post-upgrade.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Export Functionality
allTemporarily disable file export/download functionality until patching can be completed
Restrict Export URL Access
allImplement web application firewall rules to monitor and restrict suspicious export URL patterns
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls on sensitive files and directories
- Enable detailed logging of all export/download activities and monitor for anomalies
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Mahara version via admin panel or by examining version files. If running 23.04.8 or 24.04.4, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
Check Mahara admin dashboard or examine version.php file in installation directoryVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Mahara version is updated beyond affected versions and test export functionality with proper access controls.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Multiple failed export attempts
- Export requests for files outside user's normal access patterns
- Unusual download patterns from single user accounts
Network Indicators:
- Repeated requests to export URLs with modified parameters
- Download requests for files that don't match user permissions
SIEM Query:
source="mahara_logs" AND (event="export_download" OR event="file_download") AND (status="success" OR status="unauthorized") | stats count by user, file_path