CVE-2024-55550 is a vulnerability identified in Mitel MiCollab versions up to 9.8 SP2, involving insufficient input sanitization that allows an authenticated attacker with administrative privileges to conduct local file read operations. This vulnerability is categorized under CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory), indicating a path traversal or similar issue enabling unauthorized file access. The attacker must already have administrative access, which limits the attack surface to trusted users or compromised admin accounts. Successful exploitation permits the attacker to read files that are normally restricted to administrators, but the disclosure is limited to non-sensitive system information, meaning critical data or credentials are not exposed. The vulnerability does not allow modification of files or escalation of privileges, nor does it impact system availability. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.4, with vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N, indicating local attack vector, low attack complexity, high privileges required, no user interaction, unchanged scope, high confidentiality impact, and no integrity or availability impact. No patches or exploits are currently publicly available, but organizations should monitor for updates from Mitel. The vulnerability's impact is primarily confidentiality loss within the administrative domain, which could aid attackers in reconnaissance or further attacks if combined with other vulnerabilities.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-55550 is moderate but should not be underestimated. Since the vulnerability requires administrative privileges, the primary risk is to environments where admin credentials are compromised or where insider threats exist. Disclosure of non-sensitive system information could still provide attackers with useful insights into system configurations or internal structures, potentially facilitating lateral movement or targeted attacks. Organizations relying on Mitel MiCollab for unified communications, especially in sectors such as government, finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, could face increased risk if administrative accounts are not tightly controlled. The vulnerability does not allow privilege escalation or system disruption, so direct operational impact is limited. However, in environments with weak administrative controls or where attackers have already gained admin access, this vulnerability could be leveraged to gather intelligence and plan further attacks. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the need for vigilance.

1. Restrict administrative access to Mitel MiCollab systems strictly to trusted personnel and enforce strong authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the risk of credential compromise. 2. Monitor administrative account activity for unusual behavior that could indicate misuse or compromise. 3. Implement network segmentation to limit access to Mitel MiCollab administrative interfaces to only necessary management networks. 4. Apply the principle of least privilege by ensuring administrators have only the permissions necessary for their roles, minimizing exposure. 5. Regularly audit and review file system permissions and access controls on servers hosting Mitel MiCollab to detect any anomalies. 6. Stay informed about Mitel’s security advisories and apply patches or updates promptly once they become available. 7. Consider deploying host-based intrusion detection systems (HIDS) to detect unauthorized file access attempts. 8. Conduct regular security awareness training for administrators to recognize phishing and social engineering attempts that could lead to credential compromise.