CVE-2024-51962
📋 TL;DR
A SQL injection vulnerability in ArcGIS Server allows authenticated users with advanced application-specific permissions to execute arbitrary SQL commands through EDIT operations. This affects ArcGIS Server deployments where users have elevated but non-administrative privileges. Successful exploitation could compromise database integrity and confidentiality.
💻 Affected Systems
- ArcGIS Server
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attacker with appropriate privileges could execute arbitrary SQL commands, potentially accessing, modifying, or deleting sensitive geospatial data, and possibly escalating to database server compromise.
Likely Case
Privileged users could exploit the vulnerability to access unauthorized data or modify database structures within their application context.
If Mitigated
With proper privilege separation and input validation, exploitation would be limited to authorized users performing legitimate operations.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated users with specific elevated privileges and knowledge of the application's database schema
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: ArcGIS Server Security 2025 Update 1 Patch
Vendor Advisory: https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/trust-arcgis/administration/arcgis-server-security-2025-update-1-patch/
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download the ArcGIS Server Security 2025 Update 1 Patch from the Esri website. 2. Stop ArcGIS Server services. 3. Apply the patch according to Esri's installation instructions. 4. Restart ArcGIS Server services. 5. Verify successful installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict User Privileges
allTemporarily reduce or remove EDIT operation permissions from non-essential users until patching can be completed
Implement Input Validation
allAdd application-layer validation for all column property modifications to reject suspicious SQL patterns
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict principle of least privilege for all ArcGIS Server users
- Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block SQL injection patterns
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check ArcGIS Server version against the patched version in Esri's advisory; systems running affected versions with users having EDIT permissions are vulnerableCheck Version:
Check ArcGIS Server Administrator Directory at https://<server>:6443/arcgis/admin or use ArcGIS Server Manager interfaceVerify Fix Applied:
Verify that ArcGIS Server has been updated to the patched version and that the patch installation was successful📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual EDIT operations in ArcGIS Server logs
- SQL error messages in database logs following ArcGIS requests
- Multiple failed column property modification attempts
Network Indicators:
- HTTP POST requests to ArcGIS Server EDIT endpoints with SQL-like patterns in parameters
SIEM Query:
source="arcgis_server" AND (message="*EDIT*" OR message="*SQL*" OR message="*injection*")