CVE-2024-28139 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-250 (Execution with Unnecessary Privileges) affecting the Scan2Net product by Image Access GmbH. The core issue arises from the sudoers configuration that permits the www-data user to execute the mount command as root without requiring a password. Since www-data is typically the user under which web services run, an attacker who can execute code as www-data can leverage this sudo permission to escalate privileges to root. This escalation bypasses normal privilege boundaries, granting full control over the system, including the ability to modify system files, install malware, or disrupt services. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 score of 8.8, indicating high severity, with attack vector as network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring low privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). The vendor has acknowledged the risk but has decided not to patch it in the near term, possibly due to operational constraints or design decisions. There are no known exploits in the wild yet, but the vulnerability presents a significant risk if an attacker gains www-data access. The affected versions are not explicitly detailed beyond '0', which may indicate all current versions or a placeholder. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages a common administrative tool (mount) to gain root privileges, a classic privilege escalation vector. Organizations using Scan2Net should consider this vulnerability critical and take immediate steps to mitigate risk.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant threat to systems running Scan2Net, especially those exposed to untrusted networks or with insufficient access controls. An attacker exploiting this flaw can gain root privileges, leading to complete system compromise. This can result in data breaches, unauthorized data modification, service disruption, and potential lateral movement within networks. Critical infrastructure or government agencies using Scan2Net could face operational outages or espionage risks. The high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability means sensitive data and services could be severely affected. Since the vendor will not patch soon, organizations must rely on compensating controls. The risk is amplified in environments where www-data user access can be obtained through other vulnerabilities or misconfigurations. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, as attackers may develop exploits rapidly once the vulnerability is public. The vulnerability also undermines trust in the affected systems and may lead to compliance issues under European data protection regulations if exploited.

To mitigate CVE-2024-28139, European organizations should first audit and restrict sudo permissions related to the mount command. Specifically, remove or limit the ability of the www-data user to execute mount via sudo without a password. If sudo access is necessary, enforce strict command whitelisting and require password authentication. Isolate Scan2Net services in segmented network zones with strict firewall rules to limit exposure. Employ application-layer access controls and monitor logs for unusual mount command executions or privilege escalation attempts. Use host-based intrusion detection systems (HIDS) to detect anomalous behavior. Regularly update and patch other system components to reduce the risk of initial www-data compromise. Consider deploying endpoint protection solutions that can block unauthorized privilege escalations. If possible, run Scan2Net under a less privileged user account or within a containerized environment to limit the impact of exploitation. Finally, maintain an incident response plan tailored to privilege escalation scenarios and conduct security awareness training for administrators managing Scan2Net deployments.