CVE-2024-1722 identifies a vulnerability in Keycloak version 4.15.0 related to its account lockout mechanism. Keycloak is an open-source identity and access management solution widely used for single sign-on and authentication services. The flaw arises because the lockout mechanism is overly restrictive, allowing a remote unauthenticated attacker to trigger account lockouts for other users. This can be exploited by repeatedly attempting failed logins against target accounts, causing them to become locked and preventing legitimate users from accessing their accounts. The vulnerability does not allow attackers to gain unauthorized access or extract sensitive information, but it can cause denial of service by disrupting user authentication. The CVSS score of 3.7 reflects a low severity, primarily due to the lack of confidentiality or integrity impact, the requirement for high attack complexity, and no privileges or user interaction needed. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and no patches or fixes are currently linked, indicating the need for vigilance and proactive mitigation. The vulnerability affects only version 4.15.0 of Keycloak, so organizations running other versions may not be impacted. The flaw highlights the risk of account lockout policies that are too aggressive, which can be weaponized for denial of service against authentication services.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2024-1722 is availability disruption of authentication services. Organizations relying on Keycloak 4.15.0 for identity management may face denial of service conditions where legitimate users are unable to log in due to account lockouts triggered by attackers. This can affect business continuity, especially for services requiring frequent user authentication or those with critical operational dependencies on Keycloak. While confidentiality and integrity remain intact, the inability to access accounts can delay workflows, reduce productivity, and potentially impact customer-facing services. Sectors such as finance, government, healthcare, and telecommunications, which often use Keycloak for secure access, could experience operational challenges. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted attacks or combined with other tactics to amplify disruption. Organizations with automated or high-volume login attempts are particularly vulnerable to accidental or malicious lockouts.

To mitigate CVE-2024-1722, organizations should prioritize upgrading Keycloak from version 4.15.0 to a patched version once it becomes available. In the interim, administrators can implement compensating controls such as: 1) Adjusting account lockout thresholds to reduce the risk of lockouts from repeated failed attempts, 2) Implementing rate limiting or throttling on authentication endpoints to prevent brute force attempts, 3) Monitoring authentication logs for unusual patterns indicative of lockout abuse, 4) Employing CAPTCHA or multi-factor authentication to increase attack complexity, 5) Providing users with self-service account unlock mechanisms to reduce operational impact, and 6) Segmenting authentication services to isolate critical accounts from potential attack vectors. Additionally, organizations should review their incident response plans to quickly detect and respond to lockout-based denial of service attempts. Collaboration with Keycloak community and vendors for timely patching and updates is essential.