CVE-2024-7840 is a command injection vulnerability identified in Progress Software's Telerik Reporting product, specifically affecting versions prior to 18.2.24.924. The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of special elements within hyperlink inputs, categorized under CWE-77 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command). This flaw allows an attacker to inject malicious commands that the system may execute, potentially leading to full system compromise. The CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 reflects a high severity, with the vector indicating local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but requiring user interaction (UI:R). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H). Although exploitation requires local access and user interaction, the vulnerability can be leveraged to execute arbitrary commands, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system manipulation, or denial of service. No public exploits are currently reported, but the vulnerability's nature makes it a critical risk for environments using affected Telerik Reporting versions. The lack of available patches at the time of reporting necessitates immediate attention to update once fixes are released.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-7840 is significant due to the widespread use of Telerik Reporting in enterprise environments for generating reports and business intelligence. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized command execution, resulting in data breaches, disruption of reporting services, and potential lateral movement within networks. Confidential business data could be exposed or altered, undermining compliance with GDPR and other data protection regulations. The availability of reporting services could be compromised, affecting decision-making processes. Organizations with sensitive or regulated data are particularly at risk. The requirement for local access and user interaction somewhat limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments where users may be tricked into interacting with malicious hyperlinks. The vulnerability could be exploited by insiders or through social engineering attacks, making internal security controls and user awareness critical.

To mitigate CVE-2024-7840, organizations should prioritize upgrading Telerik Reporting to version 18.2.24.924 or later as soon as the patch is available. In the interim, restrict local access to systems running vulnerable versions and enforce strict user privilege management to minimize exposure. Implement input validation and sanitization for hyperlink elements within reports to prevent injection of special characters or commands. Employ application whitelisting and endpoint protection solutions to detect and block suspicious command execution attempts. Conduct user awareness training to reduce the risk of social engineering attacks involving malicious hyperlinks. Regularly audit and monitor logs for unusual activities related to report generation and hyperlink usage. Additionally, consider network segmentation to isolate reporting servers from critical infrastructure to limit potential lateral movement.