CVE-2023-0978 in Intelligent Sandbox CLI
Summary
by MITRE • 03/13/2023
A command injection vulnerability in Trellix Intelligent Sandbox CLI for version 5.2 and earlier, allows a local user to inject and execute arbitrary operating system commands using specially crafted strings. This vulnerability is due to insufficient validation of arguments that are passed to specific CLI command. The vulnerability allows the attack
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/04/2023
The command injection vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0978 affects Trellix Intelligent Sandbox CLI versions 5.2 and earlier, presenting a critical security risk for local users who can exploit this flaw to execute arbitrary operating system commands. This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the command line interface implementation, specifically targeting the handling of arguments passed to particular CLI commands. The flaw operates at the interface level where user-supplied data is not properly sanitized or validated before being processed by the underlying operating system, creating a direct pathway for malicious command execution.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-77, which describes command injection flaws where untrusted data is incorporated into system commands without proper validation or sanitization. This weakness allows attackers to manipulate the CLI interface by crafting specially formatted strings that bypass normal input restrictions, ultimately enabling arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the affected user. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only local access to exploit, making it accessible to users with minimal privileges who can leverage the flaw to escalate their privileges or compromise the system's integrity. The attack surface is limited to the CLI interface itself, but the impact is significant as it allows for complete system compromise through command execution.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents substantial risk to organizations using Trellix Intelligent Sandbox solutions, particularly those with multiple local users or shared system environments. The local privilege escalation potential means that even users with standard accounts could gain unauthorized access to system resources, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system modification, or further network exploitation. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical expertise, making it attractive to threat actors who may leverage it as an initial access point or for privilege escalation within compromised environments. Security teams must consider this vulnerability as part of their broader attack surface management strategy, particularly in environments where sandboxing solutions are used for malware analysis or security testing.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches for Trellix Intelligent Sandbox CLI versions 5.2 and earlier, or implementing strict input validation measures to prevent command injection attacks. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1059.001 for command and script interpreter, indicating that exploitation would involve the use of command-line interfaces to execute malicious code. Additional protective measures include implementing least privilege access controls, monitoring CLI usage patterns for suspicious command sequences, and conducting regular security assessments of sandboxing environments. System administrators should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict the execution of unauthorized command-line tools that could be used to exploit this vulnerability. The vulnerability underscores the importance of input validation and proper sanitization in all command-line interfaces, particularly in security tools where elevated privileges are commonly required for operation.