CVE-2024-56156
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in Halo website building software allows attackers to bypass file upload validation controls. Attackers can upload malicious files like executables and HTML, leading to stored cross-site scripting attacks and potential remote code execution. All Halo installations prior to version 2.20.13 are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Halo
📦 What is this software?
Halo by Halo
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to complete system compromise, data theft, and lateral movement within the network.
Likely Case
Stored cross-site scripting attacks allowing session hijacking, credential theft, and defacement of websites.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper network segmentation and web application firewalls blocking malicious uploads.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires file upload access but bypasses validation controls.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 2.20.13
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/halo-dev/halo/security/advisories/GHSA-99mc-ch53-pqh9
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Backup your Halo installation and database. 2. Update to version 2.20.13 via package manager or manual download. 3. Restart the Halo service. 4. Verify the update completed successfully.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable file uploads
allTemporarily disable all file upload functionality in Halo configuration
Edit halo configuration file to set upload.enabled=false
Implement WAF rules
allConfigure web application firewall to block suspicious file uploads
Add WAF rule to block file uploads with executable extensions
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict file upload validation at network perimeter
- Monitor file upload logs for suspicious activity and implement alerting
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Halo version via admin panel or configuration filesCheck Version:
Check halo version in admin dashboard or via halo --version commandVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is 2.20.13 or higher and test file upload validation📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual file uploads with executable extensions
- Multiple failed upload attempts followed by successful bypass
Network Indicators:
- HTTP POST requests to upload endpoints with suspicious file types
- Unusual outbound connections after file uploads
SIEM Query:
source="halo" AND (event="file_upload" AND file_extension IN ("exe", "html", "php", "js"))