CVE-2018-4923 in Connect
Summary
by MITRE
Adobe Connect versions 9.7 and earlier have an exploitable OS Command Injection. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary file deletion.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2023
Adobe Connect is a web conferencing and collaboration platform that enables organizations to conduct virtual meetings, training sessions, and collaborative workspaces. The platform's architecture includes various components that handle user inputs and system commands, particularly in its administration and management interfaces. When users interact with these interfaces, the system processes inputs through backend components that may execute operating system commands. The vulnerability under discussion affects versions 9.7 and earlier of the Adobe Connect application, representing a critical security flaw that could be exploited by remote attackers to gain unauthorized control over the system's underlying operating environment.
The technical flaw in CVE-2018-4923 manifests as an operating system command injection vulnerability within the Adobe Connect application. This vulnerability occurs when user-supplied input is not properly sanitized or validated before being passed to system commands. Attackers can manipulate input fields within the application's administrative interface to inject malicious commands that get executed by the underlying operating system. The injection typically occurs through parameters that control system-level operations, such as file management functions or network configuration commands. When the application processes these manipulated inputs, it executes the injected commands with the privileges of the web server process, potentially allowing attackers to perform arbitrary operations on the host system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple command execution, as successful exploitation could result in arbitrary file deletion and other destructive operations. Attackers who exploit this vulnerability could delete critical system files, configuration data, or user content, leading to complete system compromise or data loss. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not require local access or credentials to the system to launch attacks. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Adobe Connect systems may be exposed to external networks. The potential for arbitrary file deletion represents a significant threat to system integrity and availability, as it could be used to disable critical services, remove security controls, or destroy valuable organizational data.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability by upgrading to Adobe Connect version 9.8 or later, which contains patches for the command injection flaw. The mitigation strategy should include network segmentation to limit access to Adobe Connect administration interfaces, implementing strict input validation controls, and monitoring for suspicious command execution patterns. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures for handling potential breaches. From a compliance perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-78, which specifically addresses operating system command injection flaws, and represents a significant concern under ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter. Organizations must also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious input patterns and ensure proper access controls are enforced through role-based permissions and authentication mechanisms to limit the attack surface and prevent unauthorized administrative access to the vulnerable system components.