cbcvebase.
CVE-2022-24706
published 2022-04-26

CVE-2022-24706: In Apache CouchDB prior to 3.2.2, an attacker can access an improperly secured default installation without authenticating and gain admin privileges. The…

PriorityP198critical9.8CVSS 3.1
AVNACLPRNUINSUCHIHAH
KEVITWEXPLOITInitial access
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilitydue 2022-09-15
Exploited in the wild
EPSS
92.33%
99.8th percentile
In Apache CouchDB prior to 3.2.2, an attacker can access an improperly secured default installation without authenticating and gain admin privileges. The CouchDB documentation has always made recommendations for properly securing an installation, including recommending using a firewall in front of all CouchDB installations.

Affected

2 ranges
VendorProductVersion rangeFixed in
apachecouchdb< 3.2.23.2.2
apache_software_foundationapache_couchdbApache CouchDB – 3.2.1

Detection & IOCsextracted from sources · hover to see the quote

port4369
othermonster
bytes
00 15 72 01 02 03 04
bytes
8b f4 e6 ad dd 72 a9 c4 c4 71 47 08 d2 94 15 28
snort
alert tcp any any -> [$HOME_NET,$HTTP_SERVERS] any (msg:"ET EXPLOIT Default Apache CouchDB Erlang Cookie Observed (CVE-2022-24706)"; flow:established,to_server; content:"|00 15|r|01 02 03 04|"; startswith; content:"|8b f4 e6 ad dd 72 a9 c4 c4 71 47 08 d2 94 15 28|"; fast_pattern; reference:cve,2022-24706; classtype:attempted-admin; sid:2036650; rev:1; metadata:attack_target Server, created_at 2022_05_23, cve CVE_2022_24706, deployment Perimeter, deployment Internal, confidence High, signature_severity Major, tag Exploit, tag CISA_KEV, updated_at 2022_05_23, mitre_tactic_id TA0001, mitre_tactic_name Initial_Access, mitre_technique_id T1190, mitre_technique_name Exploit_Public_Facing_Application;)
bytes
name_msg: 00156e00050007499c4141414141414041414141414141
bytes
challenge_reply: 00157201020304
bytes
cmd: 0000006670836804610667770e41414141414140414141414141410000000300000000007700770372657883680267770e41414141414140414141414141410000000300000000006805770463616c6c77026f737703636d646c000000016b000269646a770475736572
  • Shodan query to identify exposed CouchDB EPMD instances: search for port 4369 with 'name couchdb at' banner
  • Shodan queries to identify exposed CouchDB instances for targeting
  • Exploit flow: attacker connects to EPMD on port 4369, requests node list, then connects to the returned Erlang distribution port and authenticates using the default cookie 'monster' via MD5 challenge-response
  • Detection trigger: look for the Erlang distribution challenge-reply message (bytes 00 15 72 01 02 03 04) at the start of a TCP stream to any server, combined with the default-cookie MD5 digest bytes
  • Nuclei template validates successful RCE by checking for 'uid', 'gid', and 'groups' strings in the response — monitor for these strings in Erlang distribution traffic
  • ·The default Erlang cookie value 'monster' is the root cause of unauthenticated access; CouchDB 3.2.2 explicitly rejects this value at startup and requires operators to set a new cookie
  • ·The vulnerability affects default (unsecured) CouchDB installations prior to 3.2.2; the EPMD port 4369 and Erlang distribution ports must be exposed to the attacker for exploitation

CVSS provenance

nvdv3.19.8CRITICALCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvdv2.010.0CRITICALAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
vulncheck9.8CRITICAL
cisa9.8CRITICAL
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