CVE-2024-40761: Apache Answer Avatar URL Leaked User Email Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-48cr-j2cx-mcr8
Share
CVSS 5.3
CWE-326
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2024-40761 is a MODERATE (CVSS 5.3) avatar url leaked user email vulnerability (CWE-326: Inadequate Encryption Strength) affecting Apache Answer libraries in the Go ecosystem. The issue involves avatar url leaked user email addresses. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.4.0.

CVE-2024-40761 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2024-40761
GHSA Identifier GHSA-48cr-j2cx-mcr8
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 5.3
CWE Classification CWE-326: Inadequate Encryption Strength
Affected Product Apache Answer
Package Ecosystem Go
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 5.3

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

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

How to Fix CVE-2024-40761

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

github.com/apache/incubator-answer fixed: 1.4.0 
Upgrade github.com/apache/incubator-answer to 1.4.0
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

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

inspect dependencies for github.com/apache/incubator-answer

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2024-40761, inspect your project dependencies for Apache Answer:

inspect dependencies for github.com/apache/incubator-answer

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Apache Answer in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 1.4.0), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-326: Inadequate Encryption Strength, where the product stores or transmits sensitive data using an encryption scheme that is theoretically sound, but is not strong enough for the level of protection required. In Apache Answer, 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

Inadequate Encryption Strength vulnerability in Apache Answer. This issue affects Apache Answer: through 1.3.5. Using the MD5 value of a user's email to access Gravatar is insecure and can lead to the leakage of user email. The official recommendation is to use SHA256 instead. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 1.4.0, which fixes the issue.

CVE-2024-40761 Affected Apache Answer Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.4.0
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
github.com/apache/incubator-answer
golang/github.com/apache/incubator-answer
Go
< 1.4.0
1.4.0

References

Apache Answer Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/25/2
NVD — CVE-2024-40761 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-40761
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/apache/incubator-answer/commit/c3a17046c6c3be1cec16ba49d07d9f7742b7260f
Apache Answer Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/apache/incubator-answer
lists.apache.org/thread/mmrhsfy16qwr... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread/mmrhsfy16qwrw0pkv0p9kj40vy3sg08x
Apache Answer Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/25/5
Apache Answer Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/25/6
Apache Answer Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/25/7
Apache Answer Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/25/8
Apache Answer Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/26/1
Apache Answer Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/26/3
Apache Answer Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/26/4
Apache Answer Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/27/4
Apache Answer Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/27/5
Apache Answer Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/27/8

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2024-40761?
CVE-2024-40761 is a security vulnerability in Apache Answer involving Avatar URL leaked user email addresses under CWE-326: Inadequate Encryption Strength.
Which Apache Answer versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.4.0 across affected packages: github.com/apache/incubator-answer.
What version fixes CVE-2024-40761?
Upgrading to 1.4.0 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is github.com/apache/incubator-answer affected?
Yes, github.com/apache/incubator-answer is affected in releases prior to 1.4.0. Upgrade your dependency to 1.4.0 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2024-40761?
CVE-2024-40761 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.3 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2024-40761?
CVE-2024-40761 is classified under CWE-326: Inadequate Encryption Strength (The product stores or transmits sensitive data using an encryption scheme that is theoretically sound, but is not strong enough for the level of protection required.).
How can I check Go dependencies for CVE-2024-40761?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for github.com/apache/incubator-answer'. 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-48cr-j2cx-mcr8",
  "modified" : "2025-07-11T15:04:13Z",
  "published" : "2024-09-25T09:30:46Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2024-40761" ],
  "summary" : "Apache Answer: Avatar URL leaked user email addresses",
  "details" : "Inadequate Encryption Strength vulnerability in Apache Answer.\n\nThis issue affects Apache Answer: through 1.3.5.\n\nUsing the MD5 value of a user's email to access Gravatar is insecure and can lead to the leakage of user email. The official recommendation is to use SHA256 instead.\nUsers are recommended to upgrade to version 1.4.0, which fixes the issue.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/U:Green"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/apache/incubator-answer"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.4.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-40761"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/incubator-answer/commit/c3a17046c6c3be1cec16ba49d07d9f7742b7260f"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/incubator-answer"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread/mmrhsfy16qwrw0pkv0p9kj40vy3sg08x"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/25/2"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/25/5"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/25/6"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/25/7"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/25/8"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/26/1"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/26/3"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/26/4"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/27/4"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/27/5"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/09/27/8"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-326" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2024-09-25T14:31:51Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2024-09-25T08:15:04Z"
  }
}