CVE-2024-12686
BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access (PRA) and Remote Support (RS) OS Command Injection Vulnerability
Description
CVE-2024-12686 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access (PRA) and Remote Support (RS) products. The flaw allows an attacker who already possesses administrative privileges to inject operating system commands that execute as the site user on the underlying server. Rated CVSS v3.1 6.6 (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), the vulnerability requires high-privilege access and faces high attack complexity, but delivers full impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CISA has added it to the KEV catalog with a remediation deadline of February 3, 2025, and the EPSS score of 0.34788 (96.9th percentile) indicates significant active exploitation.
KEV Information
CVSS Score
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HOpen in CalculatorAffected Products
| Vendor | Product | Version |
|---|---|---|
| beyondtrust | privileged remote access | <= 24.3.1 |
| beyondtrust | remote support | <= 24.3.1 |
Multiple CVSS Assessments
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
References
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-12686(Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource)
- https://www.beyondtrust.com/trust-center/security-advisories/bt24-11(Vendor Advisory)
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2024-12686(US Government Resource)
Weakness Type
CWE — Unknown
BeyondTrust has not disclosed specific CWE identifiers for CVE-2024-12686. Based on the vulnerability description, the flaw involves OS command injection where an authenticated administrator can inject commands through input fields or API parameters that are passed to the underlying operating system without adequate sanitization. This aligns with weaknesses in the CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command) family. The injected commands execute in the context of the site user account under which the BeyondTrust application runs, potentially granting broader system access than the administrative web interface normally permits.
Impact Analysis
Escalation from Application Admin to OS-Level Access characterizes the primary risk of CVE-2024-12686. While the vulnerability requires existing administrative privileges within the BeyondTrust PRA or RS application, it allows breaking out of the application boundary to execute arbitrary operating system commands on the host server.
Confidentiality Impact is rated high (C:H). An attacker who can execute OS commands as the site user gains access to configuration files, encryption keys, stored credentials, session recordings, and connection data for all managed remote access sessions. In BeyondTrust PRA and RS deployments, this includes privileged credentials for the systems that the product manages, making this a potential supply chain compromise of privileged access management.
Integrity Impact is rated high (I:H). OS-level command execution allows the attacker to modify the BeyondTrust application, plant persistent backdoors, alter stored credentials, tamper with session recordings and audit logs, and modify the host system's configuration. The attacker can also leverage the BeyondTrust platform's trusted connections to inject malicious commands into managed remote sessions.
Availability Impact is rated high (A:H). The attacker can disrupt the BeyondTrust service, disable remote access capabilities for legitimate users, corrupt data stores, or render the host system inoperable. For organizations dependent on PRA and RS for critical remote administration, this could sever access to managed infrastructure.
Attack Prerequisites and EPSS Context: The high privilege requirement (PR:H) and high attack complexity (AC:H) limit the pool of attackers who can exploit this vulnerability directly. However, the EPSS score of 0.34788 (96.9th percentile) and CISA KEV listing indicate this is actively exploited, likely in scenarios where admin credentials have been compromised through phishing, credential stuffing, or exploitation of the related CVE-2024-12356 vulnerability. CISA classifies the ransomware association as "Unknown."
Exploit Maturity
CVE-2024-12686 is confirmed as actively exploited in the wild, listed in CISA's KEV catalog with a remediation deadline of February 3, 2025. The EPSS score of 0.34788 (96.9th percentile) reflects substantial exploitation activity despite the high-privilege prerequisite.
Active Exploitation in Context: This vulnerability is part of a broader campaign targeting BeyondTrust products. It was disclosed alongside CVE-2024-12356, a more severe command injection flaw that does not require administrative privileges. Threat actors who exploit CVE-2024-12356 for initial access can then leverage CVE-2024-12686 for deeper system compromise by escalating from application-level access to OS-level command execution.
Attack Chain Significance: While CVE-2024-12686 requires administrative privileges (PR:H) and faces high complexity (AC:H) when exploited in isolation, it becomes significantly more dangerous when chained with other vulnerabilities or techniques that provide admin-level access. Compromised admin credentials, social engineering of privileged users, or exploitation of related BeyondTrust vulnerabilities can all provide the prerequisite access.
Privileged Access Management Target Value: BeyondTrust PRA and RS are privileged access management solutions that control and record remote sessions to critical infrastructure. Compromising these products provides attackers with access to the credentials and connections used to manage an organization's most sensitive systems, making them exceptionally high-value targets.
Ransomware Association: CISA classifies the ransomware association as "Unknown." However, privileged access management systems are strategic targets for ransomware operators because they provide centralized access to the credentials and connections needed to deploy ransomware across an entire infrastructure.
Remediation
-
Apply the BeyondTrust security patch immediately by updating Privileged Remote Access and Remote Support to a version newer than 24.3.1. Refer to the BeyondTrust security advisory BT24-11 for specific patch versions, download links, and upgrade instructions for your deployment.
-
Audit administrative accounts on BeyondTrust PRA and RS for unauthorized access or suspicious activity. Review admin user lists, check login histories for unusual access patterns, examine administrative action logs for unexpected configuration changes, and verify that all admin accounts are authorized and use strong, unique credentials with multi-factor authentication.
-
Rotate all credentials managed through BeyondTrust after patching. This includes credentials stored in the PRA/RS vault, service account passwords used for remote sessions, API keys and integration tokens, and any other secrets accessible through the BeyondTrust platform. Assume that any credentials accessible through the system may have been compromised.
-
Implement network segmentation for the BeyondTrust infrastructure to limit the impact of potential compromise. Place PRA and RS servers in a dedicated management network segment with strict firewall rules. Limit outbound network connectivity from the BeyondTrust servers to only the specific systems and ports needed for managed remote sessions.
-
Enable enhanced monitoring and alerting for the BeyondTrust environment. Configure SIEM integration to detect anomalous administrative actions, unusual command patterns, and unexpected outbound connections from the BeyondTrust servers. Deploy file integrity monitoring on the BeyondTrust application directories and configuration files to detect unauthorized modifications.
Technical Details
CVE-2024-12686 is a command injection vulnerability in BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access (PRA) and Remote Support (RS) versions 24.3.1 and earlier that allows authenticated administrators to execute arbitrary OS commands on the host server.
CVSS Vector Breakdown: The vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H yields a base score of 6.6. Network attack vector (AV:N) allows remote exploitation. High attack complexity (AC:H) indicates that exploitation requires specific conditions or additional steps beyond simple request crafting. High privileges (PR:H) means the attacker must possess administrative access to the BeyondTrust application. No user interaction (UI:N) is needed. The unchanged scope (S:U) confines the impact to the vulnerable system. All three impact metrics are maximum (C:H/I:H/A:H), reflecting the severity of OS-level command execution.
Attack Mechanism: BeyondTrust PRA and RS provide web-based administrative interfaces for managing remote access sessions and configurations. CVE-2024-12686 exists because certain administrative functions pass user-supplied input to operating system commands without proper sanitization or parameterization. An administrator with access to these functions can craft input that includes injected OS command sequences. When the application processes this input, the injected commands execute on the underlying server in the context of the site user account — the OS user under which the BeyondTrust application runs.
Impact Beyond Application Boundaries: The critical aspect of this vulnerability is the boundary violation between the application layer and the operating system. BeyondTrust admin accounts are designed to manage the remote access application, not to execute arbitrary commands on the host server. CVE-2024-12686 breaks this containment, giving application administrators capabilities that should be restricted to OS-level administrators. The site user account typically has access to application data, configuration files, stored credentials, encryption keys, and potentially network access to managed endpoints.
Relationship to CVE-2024-12356: CVE-2024-12686 was disclosed as part of a broader security investigation of BeyondTrust products. CVE-2024-12356, a related command injection vulnerability with a higher severity rating, does not require administrative privileges and may be used to gain initial access to the BeyondTrust application, creating a stepping stone to exploit CVE-2024-12686 for deeper system-level compromise.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2024-12686?
CVE-2024-12686 is a command injection vulnerability in BeyondTrust Privileged Remote Access (PRA) and Remote Support (RS) versions 24.3.1 and earlier. It allows an attacker with existing administrative privileges in the application to inject and execute operating system commands on the host server. Despite its medium CVSS score of 6.6, it is actively exploited and listed in CISA's KEV catalog.
Why is a medium-severity vulnerability in CISA's KEV catalog?
While the CVSS score of 6.6 reflects the high privilege requirement and attack complexity, real-world exploitation demonstrates that these prerequisites are being met by threat actors. Attackers may obtain admin access through credential compromise, social engineering, or by chaining with related vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-12356. The strategic value of compromising a privileged access management platform makes this vulnerability exceptionally attractive despite its prerequisites.
How does CVE-2024-12686 relate to CVE-2024-12356?
Both vulnerabilities affect BeyondTrust PRA and RS and involve command injection. CVE-2024-12356 is more severe because it does not require admin privileges, while CVE-2024-12686 requires existing administrative access. In attack chains, CVE-2024-12356 may provide initial access that is then escalated using CVE-2024-12686 to achieve OS-level command execution.
What should I do if I suspect my BeyondTrust instance has been compromised?
Immediately isolate the affected BeyondTrust server from the network, preserve logs and forensic evidence, and engage your incident response team. Rotate all credentials stored in or accessible through the BeyondTrust platform, as these may have been exfiltrated. Review all managed systems for signs of unauthorized access, and consider that the attacker may have leveraged BeyondTrust's trusted connections to pivot to other infrastructure.
Need Help With Vulnerability Management?
Our security experts can help you prioritize and remediate vulnerabilities effectively.