CVE-2023-49097 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

A critical vulnerability has been discovered in ZITADEL, impacting the account security via a malicious host header injection. This CVE details the weak password recovery mechanism that could lead to account takeover.

Understanding CVE-2023-49097

ZITADEL is an identity infrastructure system that utilizes specific requests to trigger notifications. The vulnerability lies in the handling of the Forwarded or X-Forwarded-Host header during the password reset confirmation process, allowing malicious actors to take over user accounts.

What is CVE-2023-49097?

The CVE-2023-49097 vulnerability affects ZITADEL versions between 2.39.0 to 2.41.6. It enables threat actors to intercept the password reset code sent via email by manipulating the host header, facilitating unauthorized access to user accounts.

The Impact of CVE-2023-49097

Exploitation of this vulnerability poses a high risk to confidentiality and integrity. Attackers can gain access to sensitive user information, including account credentials, leading to potential data breaches and unauthorized account access.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-49097

The vulnerability arises from a weak password recovery mechanism implemented in ZITADEL, allowing attackers to maliciously intercept password reset codes.

Vulnerability Description

By tampering with the host header during the password reset confirmation process, threat actors can redirect users to malicious websites, enabling the retrieval and misuse of the reset code to take over targeted accounts.

Affected Systems and Versions

ZITADEL versions 2.39.0 to 2.41.6 are affected by this vulnerability. Notably, accounts with MFA or Passwordless authentication enabled are resilient to this attack vector.

Exploitation Mechanism

The CVE-2023-49097 vulnerability leverages the manipulation of the Forwarded or X-Forwarded-Host header, tricking users into visiting malicious sites and exposing their password reset codes.

Mitigation and Prevention

Taking immediate steps to address this vulnerability is crucial in safeguarding user accounts and sensitive information.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update their ZITADEL installations to the patched versions, specifically versions 2.39.9, 2.40.10, or 2.41.6, to mitigate the risk of account takeovers via the malicious host header injection.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing robust password management policies and security measures, such as regular password updates and two-factor authentication, can enhance the overall security posture and mitigate similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Regularly monitoring for security patches and updates from ZITADEL is essential to ensure system integrity and protect against emerging threats.