CVE-2024-7096 is a privilege escalation vulnerability identified in WSO2 Open Banking IAM version 2.0.0, stemming from a business logic flaw in the SOAP admin services. The vulnerability arises when several specific conditions are met: the SOAP admin services must be accessible to the attacker, the deployment must include an internally used attribute that is not part of the default WSO2 configuration, there must be at least one custom role with non-default permissions, and the attacker must have knowledge of both the custom role and the internal attribute. Under these conditions, an attacker can create a new user and assign elevated permissions beyond what is intended by the access control policies. This flaw is categorized under CWE-863 (Incorrect Authorization), indicating that the system fails to properly enforce authorization checks. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 4.2 (medium severity), reflecting low confidentiality and integrity impact, no availability impact, high attack complexity, no privileges required, and no user interaction. The attack vector is adjacent network, meaning the attacker must have network access to the SOAP admin services, which are typically restricted. No public exploits are known at this time, but the vulnerability poses a risk to deployments with custom configurations and exposed admin services. The flaw could allow unauthorized privilege escalation, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive banking IAM functions and user data. The vulnerability is particularly relevant to financial institutions using WSO2 Open Banking IAM, where strict access controls are critical. The lack of a patch link suggests that remediation may require configuration changes or vendor updates.

For European organizations, especially those in the financial sector using WSO2 Open Banking IAM, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized privilege escalation, allowing attackers to gain elevated access rights. This could result in unauthorized access to sensitive identity and access management functions, potentially compromising customer data, transaction integrity, and regulatory compliance. The impact on confidentiality and integrity is low to moderate, but the risk of privilege abuse could facilitate further attacks or fraud. Given the high attack complexity and requirement for specific knowledge and network access, the threat is somewhat limited but still significant for organizations with exposed SOAP admin services and custom configurations. Exploitation could undermine trust in open banking platforms and lead to financial and reputational damage. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits targeting these conditions.

To mitigate CVE-2024-7096, European organizations should: 1) Restrict network access to SOAP admin services strictly to trusted administrators and internal systems, using network segmentation, firewalls, and VPNs. 2) Audit all custom roles and permissions to ensure they follow the principle of least privilege and remove unnecessary custom roles. 3) Review and minimize the use of internally used attributes that deviate from default WSO2 configurations, documenting and securing them. 4) Implement monitoring and alerting for unusual user creation or privilege assignment activities within the IAM system. 5) Engage with WSO2 for any available patches or updates addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once released. 6) Conduct regular security assessments and penetration tests focusing on business logic flaws in IAM services. 7) Educate administrators about the risks of exposing SOAP admin services and enforce strict access control policies. These targeted measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific conditions enabling exploitation.