CVE-2024-45244 identifies a vulnerability in Hyperledger Fabric versions up to 3.0.0 and 2.5.x through 2.5.9, where the software fails to verify that incoming requests contain timestamps within an expected and valid time window. Hyperledger Fabric is a widely used permissioned blockchain framework that relies on strict ordering and validation of transactions to maintain ledger integrity. The absence of timestamp verification means that an attacker could potentially replay old requests or submit requests with manipulated timestamps, bypassing temporal validation controls. This flaw corresponds to CWE-294 (Improper Authentication), as the system does not properly authenticate the freshness of requests. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.3, reflecting a medium severity level, with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), no confidentiality impact (C:N), low integrity impact (I:L), and no availability impact (A:N). Although no known exploits are currently reported, the vulnerability could be leveraged to undermine transaction integrity by replaying or manipulating requests, potentially causing inconsistencies or unauthorized ledger states. The lack of timestamp validation undermines one of the fundamental security assumptions in blockchain transaction processing, making this a significant concern for organizations relying on Hyperledger Fabric for critical applications.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-45244 centers on the potential compromise of transaction integrity within blockchain networks using affected Hyperledger Fabric versions. This could lead to replay attacks where old or manipulated requests are accepted as valid, resulting in unauthorized or inconsistent ledger states. Such integrity violations can erode trust in blockchain-based systems, disrupt business processes, and cause financial or reputational damage. Since Hyperledger Fabric is often used in sectors like finance, supply chain, healthcare, and government services, the ripple effects could be significant if transaction histories are corrupted or manipulated. The vulnerability does not affect confidentiality or availability directly, but the integrity impact alone can have serious consequences for compliance with regulations such as GDPR, which require data accuracy and integrity. The absence of required authentication or user interaction for exploitation increases the risk, as attackers can attempt exploitation remotely over the network. European organizations that have integrated Hyperledger Fabric into their critical infrastructure or commercial applications should prioritize addressing this vulnerability to maintain operational trust and regulatory compliance.

To mitigate CVE-2024-45244, organizations should first identify all deployments running affected versions of Hyperledger Fabric (up to 3.0.0 and 2.5.x through 2.5.9). Since no official patch links are currently available, organizations should monitor vendor advisories for updates or patches addressing timestamp validation. In the interim, administrators can implement custom validation logic or middleware to enforce strict timestamp checks on incoming requests, ensuring they fall within an acceptable time window relative to the system clock. Network-level controls such as rate limiting and anomaly detection can help identify and block replay attempts. Additionally, organizations should review and tighten blockchain network policies, including endorsement and validation policies, to reduce the risk of unauthorized transaction acceptance. Logging and monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious transaction patterns or repeated requests with stale timestamps. Finally, organizations should plan for timely upgrades to patched versions once available and conduct thorough testing to ensure the integrity of blockchain operations is restored.