CVE-2016-10043 in MRF Web Portal SWMS
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Radisys MRF Web Panel (SWMS) 9.0.1. The MSM_MACRO_NAME POST parameter in /swms/ms.cgi was discovered to be vulnerable to OS command injection attacks. It is possible to use the pipe character (|) to inject arbitrary OS commands and retrieve the output in the application's responses. Attackers could execute unauthorized commands, which could then be used to disable the software, or read, write, and modify data for which the attacker does not have permissions to access directly. Since the targeted application is directly executing the commands instead of the attacker, any malicious activities may appear to come from the application or the application's owner (apache user).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2024
The vulnerability identified in Radisys MRF Web Panel version 9.0.1 represents a critical operating system command injection flaw that fundamentally compromises the security posture of the affected system. This issue resides within the /swms/ms.cgi script where the MSM_MACRO_NAME parameter accepts user input without proper sanitization or validation. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the application directly executes operating system commands based on user-supplied data, creating an avenue for malicious actors to manipulate the application's behavior through carefully crafted input. The use of the pipe character (|) as an injection mechanism allows attackers to chain commands and execute arbitrary code on the underlying operating system, effectively bypassing traditional application-level security controls.
This command injection vulnerability operates at a fundamental level that aligns with CWE-77, which describes improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands. The flaw enables attackers to perform unauthorized operations that would normally require elevated privileges or direct system access. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it leverages the application's legitimate execution context, making it appear as though malicious activities originate from the apache user account rather than from external attackers. This characteristic creates significant operational challenges for security monitoring and incident response teams, as the malicious activities are indistinguishable from legitimate administrative operations. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple code execution to include complete system compromise, as attackers can manipulate data, disable software functionality, and potentially establish persistent access to the target environment.
The operational implications of this vulnerability are severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with extensive capabilities to compromise the integrity and availability of the targeted system. Through the execution of arbitrary commands, adversaries can access sensitive data that should be restricted to authorized users, modify system configurations, and potentially escalate privileges within the application environment. The fact that the application directly executes commands instead of using safe parameterized interfaces means that traditional input validation measures are insufficient to prevent exploitation. This vulnerability also creates opportunities for attackers to establish backdoors, exfiltrate data, or perform destructive operations that could render the system unusable. The compromised system may serve as a pivot point for further attacks within the network infrastructure, particularly if the apache user has elevated privileges or access to other systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate exploitation risk and the underlying architectural issues that permit command injection. The most effective immediate solution involves implementing proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms that prevent special characters from being interpreted as command delimiters. This approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and script interpreters, which emphasizes the importance of preventing the execution of untrusted code through input validation. Organizations should also implement proper parameterized interfaces that separate command execution from user input, ensuring that user-supplied data cannot be interpreted as commands. Additionally, privilege separation and least-privilege principles should be enforced to minimize the impact of potential exploitation, as the current vulnerability allows attackers to operate with the permissions of the apache user account. Regular security assessments and application code reviews should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the system, ensuring comprehensive protection against command injection attacks that could compromise the entire infrastructure.