CVE-2020-9583 in Magento
Summary
by MITRE
Magento versions 2.3.4 and earlier, 2.2.11 and earlier (see note), 1.14.4.4 and earlier, and 1.9.4.4 and earlier have a command injection vulnerability. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/27/2020
This vulnerability exists in multiple versions of the Magento e-commerce platform across its major release lines including versions 2.3.4 and earlier, 2.2.11 and earlier, 1.14.4.4 and earlier, and 1.9.4.4 and earlier. The flaw represents a critical command injection vulnerability that allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the application's command execution mechanisms, particularly in areas where user-supplied data is directly incorporated into system commands without proper escaping or filtering. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-77, which specifically addresses command injection flaws in software applications. The attack vector typically involves manipulating input parameters that are subsequently passed to system commands, enabling an attacker to inject malicious commands that execute with the privileges of the web application process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and potentially devastating for affected organizations. Successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise, allowing attackers to gain arbitrary code execution capabilities on the affected Magento servers. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to install backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive customer data including payment information and personal details, modify product catalogs, and potentially escalate privileges to gain administrative access to the entire e-commerce platform. The vulnerability affects not only the web application itself but also the underlying operating system, as commands execute with the privileges of the web server process. This creates a significant risk for organizations that store sensitive customer information, payment card data, and business-critical commerce data within their Magento installations. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited remotely without authentication, making it an attractive target for automated attacks and mass exploitation campaigns.
Organizations should immediately implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The primary and most critical mitigation involves applying the official security patches released by Magento for all affected versions, as these patches specifically address the command injection flaws in the application's input handling mechanisms. Additionally, organizations should implement web application firewalls and input validation rules that filter out suspicious command injection patterns, particularly those involving shell metacharacters and command separators. Network segmentation and privilege separation should be enforced to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, ensuring that web application processes run with minimal required privileges. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous command execution patterns and unusual network traffic originating from the affected systems. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any potential backdoor installations or unauthorized modifications that may have occurred during exploitation attempts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.001 for command and script injection techniques, emphasizing the need for robust input validation and proper command execution practices to prevent exploitation of such vulnerabilities.