CVE-2024-47256 is classified under CWE-321, indicating the use of a hardcoded cryptographic key within the 2N Access Commander software, a popular access control management system. The vulnerability exists in versions 1.14 and earlier, where an AES passphrase is embedded directly in the application code. An attacker who has already obtained administrative privileges on the system can extract this hardcoded key. With this key, the attacker can decrypt backup files that contain sensitive configuration and access control data, potentially exposing credentials, access logs, or other confidential information. The vulnerability does not allow privilege escalation or remote exploitation, as it requires local admin access and no user interaction. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N) indicates that the attack vector is local, with low complexity, requiring high privileges, no user interaction, unchanged scope, and high impact on confidentiality and integrity but no impact on availability. The vendor 2N has addressed this issue in version 3.3 by removing the hardcoded key and presumably implementing a more secure key management approach. Organizations running older versions are urged to upgrade to prevent unauthorized decryption of backup data, which could lead to data breaches or compliance violations.

For European organizations, the exposure of hardcoded cryptographic keys in access control systems like 2N Access Commander can have significant consequences. Access Commander is used to manage physical access to facilities, and backup files may contain sensitive access credentials and configuration data. If an attacker with admin privileges extracts the AES key, they can decrypt backup files, potentially gaining insight into security policies, user access rights, and system configurations. This could facilitate further attacks, insider threats, or unauthorized physical access. Confidentiality and integrity of critical security data are compromised, which may lead to regulatory non-compliance under GDPR and other data protection laws. Although exploitation requires admin privileges, insider threats or attackers who have already compromised administrative accounts pose a risk. The vulnerability does not affect system availability directly but undermines trust in the security of access control data. Organizations in sectors like government, finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure in Europe are particularly sensitive to such breaches.

1. Immediate upgrade to 2N Access Commander version 3.3 or later, which addresses the hardcoded key vulnerability. 2. Restrict administrative access to the Access Commander system strictly to trusted personnel and enforce strong authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication (MFA). 3. Regularly audit and monitor administrative accounts and access logs for suspicious activity to detect potential insider threats or compromised credentials. 4. Encrypt backup files using external encryption tools or secure key management solutions rather than relying solely on the application’s internal encryption. 5. Implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the Access Commander system to only necessary personnel and systems. 6. Conduct periodic security assessments and penetration testing focused on access control systems to identify and remediate similar weaknesses. 7. Educate administrators on the risks of using outdated software versions and the importance of timely patching. 8. Maintain an incident response plan that includes procedures for handling potential data exposure from backup files.