CVE-2022-38573 in Network Inventory Explorer
Summary
by MITRE • 09/23/2022
10-Strike Network Inventory Explorer v9.3 was discovered to contain a buffer overflow via the Add Computers function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/28/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-38573 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within 10-Strike Network Inventory Explorer version 9.3, specifically within its Add Computers function. This software solution is designed for network inventory management and asset discovery across enterprise environments, making it a potentially attractive target for adversaries seeking to compromise network infrastructure. The buffer overflow vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and memory management within the application's computer addition functionality, which processes user-supplied data to enumerate network devices and systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking during the handling of user-provided computer names or network identifiers. When the Add Computers function receives input data, it fails to adequately validate the length and format of the supplied parameters, allowing an attacker to craft malicious input that exceeds the allocated buffer space. This condition creates a classic stack-based buffer overflow scenario where adjacent memory locations become overwritten with attacker-controlled data. The vulnerability manifests when the application attempts to copy user-supplied data into a fixed-size buffer without proper bounds enforcement, leading to potential memory corruption that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, presenting significant security risks to organizations utilizing this network inventory tool. Attackers could leverage this buffer overflow to gain unauthorized code execution privileges on systems running the vulnerable software, potentially escalating their access to full system compromise. The implications are particularly concerning given that network inventory tools often run with elevated privileges and have access to sensitive network information. This vulnerability could enable attackers to establish persistent access points within network environments, facilitating lateral movement and data exfiltration activities. The attack surface is further expanded as network inventory tools frequently interface with various network protocols and services, increasing the potential attack vectors available to threat actors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-38573 should prioritize immediate software updates from the vendor, as this vulnerability has been addressed in subsequent releases of the Network Inventory Explorer software. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the vulnerable application to untrusted networks or users. Additionally, input validation measures should be enhanced at network boundaries to filter out potentially malicious data inputs before they reach the vulnerable application. Security monitoring should include detection of anomalous behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, such as unusual data processing activities or memory allocation patterns. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, stack-based buffer overflow, and represents a potential pathway for techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under initial access and privilege escalation domains. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of the affected software across their network infrastructure and ensure proper patch management procedures are in place to prevent similar issues from occurring in other network management tools.