CVE-2010-2502 in Splunk
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple directory traversal vulnerabilities in Splunk 4.0 through 4.0.10 and 4.1 through 4.1.1 allow (1) remote attackers to read arbitrary files, aka SPL-31194; (2) remote authenticated users to modify arbitrary files, aka SPL-31063; or (3) have an unknown impact via redirects, aka SPL-31067.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/18/2021
The vulnerability CVE-2010-2502 represents a critical directory traversal flaw affecting Splunk versions 4.0 through 4.0.10 and 4.1 through 4.1.1, demonstrating a fundamental weakness in input validation and file access controls within the Splunk platform. This vulnerability stems from insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input in various web interfaces and API endpoints, allowing attackers to manipulate file path references and gain unauthorized access to the underlying file system. The issue manifests across multiple attack vectors, creating a comprehensive exploitation surface that can be leveraged by both unauthenticated and authenticated threat actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of file path parameters through crafted requests that bypass normal access controls. Attackers can exploit this weakness by constructing malicious URLs or API calls that include directory traversal sequences such as ../ or ..\, which when processed by Splunk's file handling routines, result in unintended file system navigation. This flaw directly maps to CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal. The vulnerability affects Splunk's web interface and API endpoints that handle file operations, making it particularly dangerous in environments where Splunk serves as a central log management and analysis platform.
The operational impact of CVE-2010-2502 is severe and multifaceted, encompassing data exfiltration, system compromise, and potential lateral movement within affected networks. Remote attackers can exploit the vulnerability to read arbitrary files from the system, potentially accessing sensitive configuration files, credential stores, or log data that should remain protected. Authenticated users can leverage the same vulnerability to modify arbitrary files, potentially leading to persistent backdoor installation or system corruption. The redirect-based impact mentioned in SPL-31067 suggests additional attack vectors that could be used for phishing or malicious redirection attacks, further expanding the attack surface and potential damage. Organizations using Splunk in production environments face significant risk of data breaches, system compromise, and regulatory compliance violations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-2502 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Splunk versions to the latest available releases that contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of Splunk web interfaces to untrusted networks. Input validation should be strengthened at all entry points, particularly in API endpoints and web forms that handle file path parameters. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious file access patterns and directory traversal attempts. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1021.004 (Remote Services: SSH) highlights the importance of monitoring for command execution and remote access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and strict file access controls can provide additional layers of defense against this type of vulnerability exploitation.