ProjectSend options.php Authentication Bypass and Remote Code Execution (RCE) Vulnerability (CVE-2024-11680) Analysis and Mitigation Guide
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTProjectSend file sharing platform versions prior to r1720
Unauthenticated remote attackers can bypass authentication via options.php to modify application configurations, create unauthorized accounts, upload webshells, and execute arbitrary code
Immediately upgrade ProjectSend to version r1720 or later, and restrict external access to options.php as a temporary workaround
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
Upgrade your ProjectSend instance to version r1720 or later. Below are the commands to update the source code using Git.
# Navigate to the ProjectSend installation directory
cd /var/www/html/projectsend
# Fetch latest tags and checkout r1720
git fetch --tags
git checkout r1720
# Reset ownership and permissions (for Nginx/Apache)
chown -R www-data:www-data .
find . -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
find . -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If an immediate upgrade is not feasible, block external access to options.php at the web server level.
Nginx Configuration Example (`/etc/nginx/sites-available/default`):
# Block external access to options.php, allowing only localhost
location ~* /options\.php$ {
allow 127.0.0.1;
deny all;
# Maintain PHP-FPM processing for local requests
include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;
fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.1-fpm.sock;
}3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Inspect web server access logs for unauthorized POST requests targeting options.php and scan for potential webshells.
# Search for unauthorized POST requests to options.php in web logs
grep -i 'POST' /var/log/nginx/access.log | grep 'options.php'
grep -i 'POST' /var/log/apache2/access.log | grep 'options.php'
# Scan the upload directory for unauthorized PHP files
find /var/www/html/projectsend/upload/ -name '*.php' -o -name '*.phtml' -o -name '*.php5'Block Exploits Instantly with Managed Virtual Patching Rules
Can't patch production immediately? Deploy managed WAF rules at the edge to intercept RCE, SQLi, and deserialization payloads before they hit your origin server.
Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability (CVE-2024-11680) exists in the options.php component of ProjectSend, a self-hosted file-sharing application. The root cause is an improper authentication mechanism (CWE-306) on the configuration endpoint. Because the application fails to validate the user's session or privilege level before processing requests to options.php, unauthenticated remote attackers can directly access and manipulate critical system settings.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An attacker exploits this flaw by sending a crafted HTTP POST request to options.php without any credentials. Once the configuration parameters are exposed, the attacker can execute the following attack chain:
- Configuration Manipulation: Enable public registration or modify allowed file upload extensions to permit executable scripts (e.g.,
.php). - Webshell Upload: Register a new administrative account or leverage existing upload features to upload a malicious PHP webshell to the server.
- Remote Code Execution (RCE): Access the uploaded webshell to execute arbitrary operating system commands, leading to full host compromise.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
With a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical) and its inclusion in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, this vulnerability poses an immediate threat. Successful exploitation allows complete takeover of the underlying server, potentially leading to data exfiltration, ransomware deployment, and lateral movement within the enterprise network.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
ProjectSend versions prior to r1720 are affected by an improper authentication vulnerability. Remote, unauthenticated attackers can exploit this flaw by sending crafted HTTP requests to options.php, enabling unauthorized modification of the application's configuration. Successful exploitation allows attackers to create accounts, upload webshells, and embed malicious JavaScript.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2024-11680)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2024-11680 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2024-11680 is rated CVSS 9.8 (CRITICAL) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 91.8%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2024-11680?
Primary impacted vendors include projectsend across projectsend. Scope summary: All ProjectSend versions prior to r1720 (Patched in r1720)
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2024-11680 before patching?
[Mitigation] Immediately upgrade ProjectSend to version r1720 or later, and restrict external access to options.php as a temporary workaround Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
Generate an Internal Engineering Notice or CISO Report for CVE-2024-11680
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