OfbizApplication · Apache
CVE-2024-38856
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedIncorrect Authorization vulnerability in Apache OFBiz. This issue affects Apache OFBiz: through 18.12.14. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 18.12.15, which fixes the issue. Unauthenticated endpoints could allow execution of screen rendering code of screens if some preconditions are met (such as when the screen definitions don't explicitly check user's permissions because they rely on the configuration of their endpoints).
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceApache OFBiz contains an incorrect authorization vulnerability where unauthenticated endpoints can execute screen rendering code when screens don't explicitly check user permissions and instead rely on endpoint configuration. This allows remote attackers to potentially access sensitive screen rendering functionality without authentication.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
OfbizApplication
< 18.12.15CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify Apache OFBiz versionCheck the OFBiz version by inspecting the build.gradle file, the release notes, or the runtime logs when OFBiz starts. Look for a version identifier like 18.12.x.Affected if The installed version is 18.12.14 or earlier (any version below 18.12.15).
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Locate screen definition filesFind XML screen definition files in the OFBiz installation, typically under applications/*/widget/screens/ or similar widget directories. Look for <screen> elements that define web-facing screens.Affected if Screen definition files exist and are accessible without authentication checks.
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Inspect screen permission attributesOpen the screen XML files and examine each <screen> element for permission-related attributes such as 'permission' or 'action'. Screens that lack explicit permission checks may be vulnerable.Affected if Screens do not define required permission attributes and rely on endpoint-level configuration alone.
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Test unauthenticated screen accessAttempt to access known screen rendering endpoints (such as /control/..., /view, or similar web controller paths) without providing authentication credentials. Use a tool like curl to send requests to these endpoints.Affected if The server returns screen content or renders output without requiring login or session authentication.
You are affected if running any Apache OFBiz version below 18.12.15 AND your deployment has screen definitions accessible without explicit permission checks that rely solely on endpoint configuration for security.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped18.12.15
Upgrade Apache OFBiz to version 18.12.15 or later to remediate this vulnerability.
18.12.15
- 1. Back up your current Apache OFBiz installation (including the database) before upgrading.
- 2. Download Apache OFBiz version 18.12.15 from the official Apache OFBiz release page at https://ofbiz.apache.org/download.html
- 3. Stop the running OFBiz service to avoid data corruption during upgrade.
- 4. Replace the existing OFBiz installation files with the new version 18.12.15 files, preserving your configuration and data directories.
- 5. Review and update any custom configurations or plugins that may be affected by the upgrade.
- 6. Start the OFBiz service and verify it runs without errors.
- 7. Test that the previously vulnerable unauthenticated screen rendering endpoints now properly enforce authorization checks.
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Ofbiz
Exploited in the wild — priority engagement
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation6.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA3.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $4,992.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2024-38856 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2024-38856 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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