Summary
AWS CDK RestApi not generating authorizationScope correctly in resultant CFN template
The AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) is an open-source framework for defining cloud infrastructure using code. Customers use it to create their own applications which are converted to AWS CloudFormation templates during deployment to a customer’s AWS account. CDK contains pre-built components called "constructs" that are higher-level abstractions providing defaults and best practices. This approach enables developers to use familiar programming languages to define complex cloud infrastructure more efficiently than writing raw CloudFormation templates.
We identified an issue in AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) which, under certain conditions, can result in granting authenticated Amazon Cognito users broader than intended access. Specifically, if a CDK application uses the "RestApi" construct with "CognitoUserPoolAuthorizer" as the authorizer and uses authorization scopes to limit access. This issue does not affect the availability of the specific API resources.
Impacted versions: >=2.142.0;<=2.148.0
Recommended Actions
- Upgrade your AWS CDK version to 2.148.1 or newer and re-deploy your application(s) to address this issue.
- If you are using older CDK versions before 2.142.0, you are not affected by this issue, however it is recommended to upgrade to the latest version to receive the latest features and fixes.
- Confirm whether your application(s) is affected by searching for "CognitoUserPoolsAuthorizer" in your CDK application. If it is referenced inside the "RestApi" construct, and the "RestApi" resource or method utilize authorization scopes to limit access, and you deployed your applications using the impacted versions of CDK, your application is affected.
References
- AWS CDK Documentation: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cdk/v2/guide/home.html
- AWS CDK RestApi Construct Documentation: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cdk/api/v2/docs/aws-cdk-[lib.aws](http://lib.aws/)_apigateway.RestApi.html
- AWS CDK CognitoUserPoolsAuthorizer Documentation: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cdk/api/v2/docs/aws-cdk- lib.aws_apigateway.CognitoUserPoolsAuthorizer.html
- AWS CDK v2.148.1 Release Notes: https://github.com/aws/aws-cdk/releases/tag/v2.148.1
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory we ask that you contact AWS/Amazon Security via our vulnerability reporting page [1] or directly via email to [email protected]. Please do not create a public GitHub issue.
[1] Vulnerability reporting page: https://aws.amazon.com/security/vulnerability-reporting
Impact
Authenticated Cognito users may gain unintended access to protected API resources or methods, leading to potential data disclosure, and modification issues.
The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions. Typical impact: unauthorized data access or execution of privileged operations.
CVE-2024-45037 has a CVSS score of 6.4 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (2.148.1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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The patch is included in CDK version >=2.148.1.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2024-45037? CVE-2024-45037 is a medium-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in aws-cdk (npm), affecting versions >= 2.142.0, <= 2.148.0. It is fixed in 2.148.1. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
- How severe is CVE-2024-45037? CVE-2024-45037 has a CVSS score of 6.4 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of aws-cdk are affected by CVE-2024-45037? aws-cdk (npm) versions >= 2.142.0, <= 2.148.0 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2024-45037? Yes. CVE-2024-45037 is fixed in 2.148.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2024-45037 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-45037 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2024-45037 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2024-45037? Upgrade
aws-cdkto 2.148.1 or later.