CVE-2024-53678
Published: 25 March 2025
Summary
CVE-2024-53678 is a high-severity SQL Injection (CWE-89) vulnerability in Apache Vcl. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked at the 25.0th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 RA-5 (Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning) and SI-10 (Information Input Validation).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Directly mitigates the SQL injection vulnerability by requiring identification, reporting, and timely patching to Apache VCL version 2.5.2.
Enforces validation and error handling of user form data inputs to neutralize special elements and prevent modification of SQL SELECT statements.
Requires vulnerability scanning that identifies SQL injection flaws like CWE-89 in web applications such as Apache VCL.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
SQL injection in a network-accessible web application (Apache VCL form handling) directly maps to exploitation of the application for initial access or impact.
NVD Description
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command ('SQL Injection') vulnerability in Apache VCL. Users can modify form data submitted when requesting a new Block Allocation such that a SELECT SQL statement is modified. The data returned by…
more
the SELECT statement is not viewable by the attacker. This issue affects all versions of Apache VCL from 2.2 through 2.5.1. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 2.5.2, which fixes the issue.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2024-53678 is an SQL injection vulnerability (CWE-89) in Apache VCL, stemming from improper neutralization of special elements in SQL commands. It affects all versions from 2.2 through 2.5.1 and occurs when users modify form data submitted for requesting a new Block Allocation, allowing alteration of a SELECT SQL statement. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
Authenticated users with low privileges (PR:L) can exploit this over the network with low complexity and no user interaction required. By injecting malicious payloads into the form data, attackers can modify the SELECT statement, potentially leading to high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, though the description notes that data returned by the modified query is not directly viewable by the attacker.
Apache recommends upgrading to version 2.5.2, which resolves the issue. Detailed advisories are available in the Apache mailing list announcement at https://lists.apache.org/thread/2bmjnzgjwwq59nv6xw44w0tnpz4k4pf4 and the oss-security mailing list at http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/03/24/1.
Details
- CWE(s)