CVE-2023-0093 in Advanced Server Access Client
Summary
by MITRE • 03/06/2023
Okta Advanced Server Access Client versions 1.13.1 through 1.65.0 are vulnerable to command injection due to the third party library webbrowser. An outdated library, webbrowser, used by the ASA client was found to be vulnerable to command injection. To exploit this issue, an attacker would need to phish the user to enter an attacker controlled server URL during enrollment.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0093 affects Okta Advanced Server Access Client versions ranging from 1.13.1 through 1.65.0, representing a critical command injection flaw that stems from the use of an outdated third-party library named webbrowser. This particular library, which is integrated into the ASA client software, contains a security weakness that allows malicious actors to execute arbitrary commands on affected systems. The vulnerability manifests through the improper handling of user input during the enrollment process, where the client application fails to adequately sanitize or validate URLs provided by users. The webbrowser library's outdated state means it lacks proper input validation mechanisms that would normally prevent malicious command sequences from being executed when processing user-supplied URLs.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires social engineering techniques, specifically phishing attacks, to deceive users into entering attacker-controlled server URLs during the enrollment phase of the ASA client. This attack vector aligns with the common practice of credential harvesting and privilege escalation through user deception. The attacker must convince the victim to input a malicious URL that contains command injection payloads, which then get processed by the vulnerable webbrowser library. This approach follows the typical methodology of phishing-based attacks where human factors become the primary attack surface. The vulnerability demonstrates how third-party dependencies can introduce security weaknesses that are not immediately apparent in the primary application code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple command execution, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain full control over the affected system. The command injection capability enables attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the ASA client, potentially leading to complete system compromise. Depending on the user's permissions and the system configuration, this could result in unauthorized access to sensitive corporate resources, data exfiltration, or the establishment of persistent backdoors. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on Okta Advanced Server Access for secure remote access, potentially exposing their infrastructure to unauthorized access. The long-term implications include the potential for lateral movement within networks and the compromise of additional systems through credential theft or privilege escalation.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations to address this vulnerability, including updating the ASA client to versions that contain patched third-party libraries or removing the vulnerable webbrowser dependency entirely. System administrators should also implement network monitoring to detect suspicious URL patterns and command execution attempts during the enrollment process. The mitigation strategy should include user education about phishing techniques and the importance of verifying URLs before entering them into any security client. Security teams should consider implementing network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation and establish incident response procedures for detecting and responding to command injection attacks. This vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date third-party dependencies and implementing proper input validation across all application components. The issue falls under CWE-77, which specifically addresses command injection vulnerabilities, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, demonstrating how insecure input handling can lead to privilege escalation and system compromise. Organizations must also consider the broader implications of using outdated libraries and establish processes for regular security assessments of third-party dependencies to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced into their security infrastructure.