VulnerabilityPublished 27 Sep 2024

CVE-2024-46097: TestLink · Improper Access Control

Source CVE Database V5

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 8.1 High.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 16:39 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

8.1High

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 0.4% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 37% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: None

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerable component is bound to the network stack and the set of possible attackers extends beyond the other options listed, up to and including the entire Internet. Such a vulnerability is often termed 'remotely exploitable' and can be thought of as an attack being exploitable at the protocol level one or more network hops away (e.g., across one or more routers).
Attack Complexity: Low: Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required: Low: The attacker is authorized with (i.e., requires) privileges that provide basic user capabilities that could normally affect only settings and files owned by a user. Alternatively, an attacker with Low privileges may have the ability to cause an impact only to non-sensitive resources.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without any interaction from any user.
Scope: Unchanged: An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality: High: There is total loss of confidentiality, resulting in all resources within the impacted component being divulged to the attacker. Alternatively, access to only some restricted information is obtained, but the disclosed information presents a direct, serious impact.
Integrity: High: There is a total loss of integrity, or a complete loss of protection. For example, the attacker is able to modify any/all files protected by the impacted component. Alternatively, only some files can be modified, but malicious modification would present a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component.
Availability: None: There is no impact to availability within the impacted component.

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 27 Sep 2024
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponised: Public exploit code exists in Metasploit or Exploit-DB, or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

AI-suggested

Since no official patches are currently available, organizations should implement strict access control measures at the application and network layers. This includes restricting TestLink access to trusted users and networks, enforcing strong authentication and role-based access controls, and monitoring for unusual activity related to TestPlan editing. Input validation and parameter tampering detection mechanisms should be employed to detect and block unauthorized manipulation of the tplan_id parameter. Organizations should consider deploying web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to prevent unauthorized access attempts. Regular audits of user permissions and TestPlan modifications can help detect exploitation attempts early. Additionally, organizations should stay alert for updates or patches from the TestLink project and apply them promptly once available. Isolating the TestLink server from public internet exposure can further reduce risk.

Description

TestLink 1.9.20 is vulnerable to Incorrect Access Control in the TestPlan editing section. When a new TestPlan is created, an ID with an incremental value is automatically generated. Using the edit function you can change the tplan_id parameter to another ID. The application does not carry out a check on the user's permissions maing it possible to recover the IDs of all the TestPlans (even the administrative ones) and modify them even with minimal privileges.

Impact

The vulnerability allows unauthorized users with minimal privileges to access and modify all TestPlans, including those meant for administrators. This compromises the confidentiality of sensitive test data and the integrity of the testing process, potentially leading to incorrect test results and flawed software releases. Organizations relying on TestLink for quality assurance may face operational disruptions and increased risk of software defects reaching production. The ease of exploitation over the network without user interaction increases the likelihood of abuse. Although availability is not directly impacted, the integrity and confidentiality breaches can have cascading effects on software development lifecycles and compliance requirements. The vulnerability could also be leveraged as a foothold for further attacks within an organization's infrastructure if combined with other weaknesses.

Summary

CVE-2024-46097 is an access control vulnerability identified in TestLink version 1.9.20, a widely used open-source test management tool. The issue arises in the TestPlan editing section, where each TestPlan is assigned an incremental identifier (tplan_id) upon creation. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to verify user permissions when the tplan_id parameter is manipulated during edit operations. This lack of authorization checks allows users with minimal privileges to enumerate all TestPlan IDs, including those reserved for administrative use, and modify them arbitrarily. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.1, reflecting high severity due to network exploitable attack vector, low attack complexity, and the requirement of only low privileges without user interaction. The impact includes unauthorized disclosure and modification of test plans, which can compromise the integrity of software testing processes and potentially lead to flawed software releases. Although no patches or known exploits are currently documented, the vulnerability presents a significant risk to organizations relying on TestLink for test management. The flaw can be exploited remotely over the network, making it critical to address promptly.

CWE-284Improper Access Control (opens in a new tab)
Pillar weaknessCWE Top 25 (2025): #19OWASP Top 10 A01:2025: Broken Access Control (opens in a new tab)
The product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts access to a resource from an unauthorized actor.
MITRE discourages mapping vulnerabilities to this broad entry; the root cause is usually a more specific weakness.
Architecture and Design · Operation
Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.
Architecture and Design · Separation of Privilege
Compartmentalize the system to have "safe" areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area.
OWASP Cheat Sheets
Docker Security (opens in a new tab)
Third Party Javascript Management (opens in a new tab)
Virtual Patching (opens in a new tab)
Authorization (opens in a new tab)
OWASP ASVS 4.0.3
V1.4.4 (opens in a new tab)
V1.4.5 (opens in a new tab)
V1.10.1 (opens in a new tab)
Attack patterns
Embedding Scripts within Scripts (opens in a new tab)
Modification of Windows Service Configuration (opens in a new tab)
Malicious Root Certificate (opens in a new tab)
Intent Spoof (opens in a new tab)
WebView Exposure (opens in a new tab)
From MITRE CWE, MITRE CAPEC and OWASP (Top 10, OpenCRE).

References

github.com/Alkatraz97/CVEs/blob/main/CVE-2024-46097.md (opens in a new tab)

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 26 Feb 2026, 08:28 UTC

WeaknessesCWE-284

Technical details

References

Community reviews

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