CVE-2024-38453 is a vulnerability identified in the Avalara for Salesforce CPQ application, specifically in versions before 7.0. Avalara for Salesforce CPQ integrates tax compliance and calculation services into Salesforce's Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) platform. The vulnerability allows remote attackers to read an API key without requiring authentication or user interaction, indicating a direct exposure of sensitive credentials through the application interface or API. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) highlights that the attack can be performed remotely over the network with low attack complexity, no privileges, and no user interaction, resulting in a high impact on confidentiality. The exposed API key could be used by attackers to access Avalara services fraudulently, potentially leading to unauthorized tax data queries or manipulations outside the scope of this vulnerability. The vulnerability is linked to CWE-922 (Insecure Storage of Sensitive Information) and CWE-522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials), indicating poor protection of credentials within the app. Although no public exploits are currently known, the risk remains significant due to the nature of the exposed credentials. The vulnerability was published on July 3, 2024, and the current app version is 11, which presumably includes a fix. No patch links are provided, but upgrading to the latest version is strongly advised.

The primary impact of CVE-2024-38453 is the unauthorized disclosure of an API key used by the Avalara for Salesforce CPQ app. This compromises confidentiality by allowing attackers to impersonate legitimate users or services, potentially accessing sensitive tax-related data or performing unauthorized operations through Avalara's API. While the vulnerability does not directly affect data integrity or availability, the misuse of the API key could lead to fraudulent transactions, data leakage, or unauthorized data queries. Organizations relying on Avalara for Salesforce CPQ for tax compliance and financial operations could face compliance risks, financial losses, and reputational damage if attackers exploit this vulnerability. The ease of exploitation and lack of required privileges increase the likelihood of attacks, especially in environments where vulnerable versions remain deployed. The absence of known exploits in the wild suggests limited active exploitation currently, but this could change rapidly once the vulnerability becomes widely known.

1. Immediate upgrade to Avalara for Salesforce CPQ version 7.0 or later, preferably the latest version (currently version 11), to ensure the vulnerability is patched. 2. Review and rotate any API keys that may have been exposed due to this vulnerability to prevent unauthorized access. 3. Implement strict access controls and monitoring on API key usage within Avalara and Salesforce environments to detect anomalous activity. 4. Employ network segmentation and firewall rules to restrict access to Salesforce CPQ and Avalara API endpoints only to trusted IP addresses and users. 5. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focused on credential storage and API security within Salesforce integrations. 6. Educate administrators and developers about secure credential management practices to prevent similar issues in custom integrations. 7. Monitor threat intelligence sources for any emerging exploits targeting this vulnerability to respond promptly.