CVE-2015-10096 in IRC Twitter Announcer Bot
Summary
by MITRE • 03/20/2023
A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Zarthus IRC Twitter Announcer Bot up to 1.1.0. This affects the function get_tweets of the file lib/twitterbot/plugins/twitter_announcer.rb. The manipulation of the argument tweet leads to command injection. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. Upgrading to version 1.1.1 is able to address this issue. The name of the patch is 6b1941b7fc2c70e1f40981b43c84a2c20cc12bd3. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component. The associated identifier of this vulnerability is VDB-223383.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/11/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-10096 represents a critical command injection flaw within the Zarthus IRC Twitter Announcer Bot version 1.1.0 and earlier. This vulnerability resides in the get_tweets function of the lib/twitterbot/plugins/twitter_announcer.rb file, where improper input validation allows attackers to manipulate the tweet argument and execute arbitrary commands on the affected system. The flaw enables remote exploitation, making it particularly dangerous as attackers can leverage this vulnerability from outside the network perimeter without requiring local access or authentication. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-77, which describes improper neutralization of special elements used in a command, a classification that encompasses command injection scenarios where user-controllable input is directly incorporated into system commands without proper sanitization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic command injection pattern where the application fails to properly escape or validate user input before incorporating it into shell commands. When the get_tweets function processes tweet data, it likely constructs system calls that include the tweet content without adequate sanitization, allowing an attacker to inject malicious commands through specially crafted tweet content. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it operates through the IRC bot's Twitter announcement functionality, which typically runs with elevated privileges to access Twitter APIs and post messages to IRC channels. This privilege escalation potential significantly amplifies the impact of the vulnerability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple remote code execution, as it can enable full system compromise and persistent access to the affected infrastructure. Attackers could potentially use this vulnerability to install backdoors, exfiltrate data, or establish command and control channels through the IRC bot infrastructure. The fact that this affects an IRC bot component means that the compromise could potentially spread to connected networks or be used as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the organization's infrastructure. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of validating input from external sources, particularly in applications that bridge multiple communication protocols such as IRC and Twitter.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-10096 should prioritize immediate upgrading to version 1.1.1, which contains the patch 6b1941b7fc2c70e1f40981b43c84a2c20cc12bd3 that addresses the command injection vulnerability. Organizations should also implement input sanitization measures and validate all user-controllable data before processing, particularly in functions that interact with system commands. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities, and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual command execution patterns. The vulnerability's classification as critical underscores the need for immediate remediation and the importance of maintaining up-to-date software components. Additionally, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001, which covers command and scripting interpreter execution, and T1071.004, covering application layer protocols, highlighting the multi-faceted nature of the attack surface and the necessity for comprehensive defensive measures.