GitHub has recently addressed three significant vulnerabilities in its Enterprise Server, urging corporate users to implement patches immediately. The most critical of these flaws could potentially allow attackers to bypass authentication and gain administrator privileges, posing a severe risk to organizational security.
Understanding the Critical Vulnerability: CVE-2024-6800
The most severe vulnerability, identified as CVE-2024-6800, has been assigned a critical CVSS 4.0 score of 9.5. This flaw stems from an XML signature wrapper issue that occurs when using the Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) authentication standard with specific identity providers.
According to GitHub, “In GitHub Enterprise Server instances using SAML SSO authentication with certain identity providers that employ publicly available signed federated XML metadata, an attacker could forge a SAML response to grant or gain access to a user account with administrator privileges.”
Affected Versions and Patch Availability
The critical vulnerability affects multiple versions of GitHub Enterprise Server. Patches have been released in the following versions:
- GitHub Enterprise Server (GHES) 3.13.3
- GHES 3.12.8
- GHES 3.11.14
- GHES 3.10.16
It is crucial for organizations using affected versions to update their systems immediately to mitigate the risk of potential attacks.
Additional Vulnerabilities Addressed
In addition to CVE-2024-6800, the new GHES versions also include fixes for two other vulnerabilities. While details about these flaws are limited, their inclusion in the update underscores the importance of applying the patches promptly.
Potential Impact and Scope
The widespread use of GitHub Enterprise Server amplifies the potential impact of these vulnerabilities. According to data from the FOFA search engine, there are currently over 36,500 GHES instances accessible on the internet, with the majority (29,200) located in the United States. While the exact number of vulnerable installations is unknown, the scale of potential exposure is significant.
Organizations using GitHub Enterprise Server should treat this update as a high priority. The ability for an attacker to potentially gain administrator privileges through the SAML authentication bypass could lead to severe consequences, including unauthorized access to sensitive code repositories, intellectual property theft, and potential supply chain attacks.
As cyber threats continue to evolve, staying vigilant and promptly applying security updates is crucial. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining robust patch management practices and regularly assessing the security posture of critical development infrastructure. By taking swift action to address these vulnerabilities, organizations can significantly reduce their risk exposure and protect their valuable digital assets.
