CVE-2024-52279 is an improper input validation vulnerability classified under CWE-20, affecting Apache Zeppelin versions from 0.11.1 up to but not including 0.12.0. The vulnerability arises because the fix implemented for a previous JDBC URL validation issue (CVE-2024-31864) did not account for URL-encoded input, allowing attackers to bypass validation checks. Apache Zeppelin is a web-based notebook for interactive data analytics, often used with JDBC-compatible data sources. The flaw allows remote attackers to craft malicious JDBC URLs that can circumvent input validation, potentially exposing sensitive data accessible through the JDBC connections. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.5, indicating high severity, with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N). The impact is primarily on confidentiality (C:H), with no direct impact on integrity or availability. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely without authentication, increasing its risk profile. Although no exploits are currently known in the wild, the potential for data leakage or unauthorized data access makes this a critical concern for organizations relying on Apache Zeppelin for data processing and analytics. The recommended remediation is upgrading to Apache Zeppelin version 0.12.0, which includes a fix for this input validation bypass.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2024-52279 is the potential unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data accessed via JDBC connections in Apache Zeppelin notebooks. This can affect sectors heavily reliant on data analytics platforms, such as finance, research institutions, telecommunications, and government agencies. Exposure of confidential data could lead to regulatory non-compliance under GDPR, reputational damage, and potential financial losses. Since the vulnerability does not affect integrity or availability, it is unlikely to cause service disruption or data manipulation but still poses a significant confidentiality risk. The ease of remote exploitation without authentication or user interaction increases the threat level, especially in environments where Zeppelin instances are exposed to untrusted networks or insufficiently segmented internal networks. Organizations using Apache Zeppelin in multi-tenant or cloud environments may face additional risks of cross-tenant data leakage. The absence of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive mitigation before active attacks emerge.

1. Upgrade Apache Zeppelin to version 0.12.0 immediately, as this version contains the official fix for the vulnerability. 2. Review and restrict network access to Apache Zeppelin instances, ensuring they are not exposed to untrusted networks or the public internet without proper controls. 3. Implement strict input validation and sanitization for any custom JDBC URL configurations or user inputs related to data source connections. 4. Employ network segmentation and firewall rules to limit access to Zeppelin servers and underlying data sources. 5. Monitor logs for unusual JDBC connection attempts or malformed URL patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. 6. Conduct security audits and penetration testing focused on data analytics platforms to identify similar input validation weaknesses. 7. Educate developers and administrators on secure configuration practices for Apache Zeppelin and JDBC connections. 8. Consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious JDBC URL patterns until patches are applied.