CVE-2024-9617 identifies an authorization bypass vulnerability classified under CWE-639 (Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key) in the danswer-ai/danswer application, specifically version 0.3.94. The vulnerability is an IDOR flaw where the application exposes the GET /api/chat/file/{file_id} API endpoint without properly verifying that the requesting user is authorized to access the requested file. This means an attacker with at least limited privileges (PR:L in CVSS) can manipulate the file_id parameter to retrieve files owned by other users. The vulnerability does not require user interaction (UI:N) and can be exploited remotely over the network (AV:N) with low attack complexity (AC:L). The impact is primarily on confidentiality (C:H), as unauthorized file disclosure can lead to leakage of sensitive or proprietary information. However, the vulnerability does not affect integrity or availability of the system. No patches or known exploits have been reported yet, but the flaw represents a significant risk in environments where sensitive data is stored or shared via danswer-ai/danswer. The vulnerability was published on 2025-03-20 and assigned a CVSS v3.0 score of 6.5, reflecting a medium severity rating. The root cause is insufficient authorization checks on user-controlled keys (file_id), a common security oversight in API design.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2024-9617 is unauthorized disclosure of sensitive files stored or shared within the danswer-ai/danswer platform. This can lead to breaches of confidentiality, exposing intellectual property, personal data, or business-critical information. Organizations in regulated sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government could face compliance violations under GDPR and other data protection laws if sensitive personal or confidential data is leaked. The vulnerability could also undermine trust in AI collaboration tools and lead to reputational damage. Since the flaw does not affect integrity or availability, operational disruption is unlikely, but the data exposure risk alone warrants urgent attention. The ease of exploitation and lack of required user interaction increase the threat level, especially in multi-tenant or collaborative environments common in European enterprises. Attackers with limited privileges, such as low-level employees or compromised accounts, could leverage this vulnerability to escalate data access beyond their authorization.

European organizations using danswer-ai/danswer should immediately audit their deployment for this vulnerability and implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Enforce strict authorization checks on all file access endpoints, ensuring that the requesting user is the owner or has explicit permission to access the file identified by file_id. 2) Implement robust access control mechanisms such as role-based access control (RBAC) or attribute-based access control (ABAC) to limit file visibility. 3) Monitor and log all file access requests, especially those involving unusual file_id patterns or access attempts from unexpected users. 4) Conduct a thorough code review and penetration testing focused on IDOR and authorization bypass issues in the API. 5) If possible, isolate sensitive files or data in separate storage with additional access restrictions. 6) Educate developers and security teams on secure API design principles to prevent similar flaws. 7) Stay alert for official patches or updates from danswer-ai and apply them promptly once available. 8) Consider implementing Web Application Firewalls (WAF) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious file_id manipulation attempts until a patch is deployed.