CVE-2024-23444: Elasticsearch Elasticsearch Stores Private Key On Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-5v8f-xx9m-wj44
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CVSS 4.9
CWE-311
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2024-23444 is a MODERATE (CVSS 4.9) elasticsearch stores private key on vulnerability (CWE-311: Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data) affecting Elasticsearch libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves elasticsearch stores private key on disk unencrypted. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 8.13.0, 7.17.23.

CVE-2024-23444 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2024-23444
GHSA Identifier GHSA-5v8f-xx9m-wj44
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 4.9
CWE Classification CWE-311: Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data
Affected Product Elasticsearch
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 4.9

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required High (PR:H)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2024-23444

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Elasticsearch dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch fixed: 8.13.0 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.elasticsearch</groupId>
    <artifactId>elasticsearch</artifactId>
    <version>8.13.0</version>
</dependency>
org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch fixed: 7.17.23 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.elasticsearch</groupId>
    <artifactId>elasticsearch</artifactId>
    <version>7.17.23</version>
</dependency>
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.elasticsearch

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2024-23444, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.elasticsearch

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Elasticsearch in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 8.13.0), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.elasticsearch command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-311: Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data, where the product does not encrypt sensitive or critical information before storage or transmission. In Elasticsearch, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

It was discovered by Elastic engineering that when elasticsearch-certutil CLI tool is used with the csr option in order to create a new Certificate Signing Requests, the associated private key that is generated is stored on disk unencrypted even if the `--pass` parameter is passed in the command invocation.

CVE-2024-23444 Affected Elasticsearch Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
8.13.07.17.23
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch
maven/org.elasticsearch/elasticsearch
Maven
≥ 8.0.0-alpha1
< 8.13.0
8.13.0
org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch
maven/org.elasticsearch/elasticsearch
Maven
< 7.17.23
7.17.23

References

NVD — CVE-2024-23444 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-23444
Elasticsearch Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/pull/106105
Elasticsearch Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/pull/109834
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/commit/07296d596a1dee24730e33ad40b6726f70c6fc23
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/commit/321c4e1e6b738bf80faa41dbb9881489a4ab44e5
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/commit/bb1eddada3678257838b0590090ff9eb68acaa1b
Elasticsearch Security Information SECURITY
https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-8-13-0-7-17-23-security-update-esa-2024-12/364157
Elasticsearch Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch
Elasticsearch Security Information SECURITY
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20250404-0001

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2024-23444?
CVE-2024-23444 is a security vulnerability in Elasticsearch involving Elasticsearch stores private key on disk unencrypted under CWE-311: Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data.
Which Elasticsearch versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 8.13.0, 7.17.23 across affected packages: org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch.
What version fixes CVE-2024-23444?
Upgrading to 8.13.0, 7.17.23 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is elasticsearch affected?
Yes, org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch is affected in releases prior to 8.13.0, 7.17.23. Upgrade your dependency to 8.13.0, 7.17.23 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2024-23444?
CVE-2024-23444 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 4.9 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2024-23444?
CVE-2024-23444 is classified under CWE-311: Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data (The product does not encrypt sensitive or critical information before storage or transmission.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2024-23444?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.elasticsearch'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-5v8f-xx9m-wj44",
  "modified" : "2025-04-07T19:46:19Z",
  "published" : "2024-07-31T18:32:01Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2024-23444" ],
  "summary" : "Elasticsearch stores private key on disk unencrypted",
  "details" : "It was discovered by Elastic engineering that when elasticsearch-certutil CLI tool is used with the csr option in order to create a new Certificate Signing Requests, the associated private key that is generated is stored on disk unencrypted even if the `--pass` parameter is passed in the command invocation.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "8.0.0-alpha1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "8.13.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "7.17.23"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-23444"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/pull/106105"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/pull/109834"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/commit/07296d596a1dee24730e33ad40b6726f70c6fc23"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/commit/321c4e1e6b738bf80faa41dbb9881489a4ab44e5"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch/commit/bb1eddada3678257838b0590090ff9eb68acaa1b"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-8-13-0-7-17-23-security-update-esa-2024-12/364157"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/elastic/elasticsearch"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20250404-0001"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-311" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2024-07-31T20:53:02Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2024-07-31T18:15:11Z"
  }
}