CVE-2023-1168 in AOS-CX
Summary
by MITRE • 03/22/2023
An authenticated remote code execution vulnerability exists in the AOS-CX Network Analytics Engine. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability results in the ability to execute arbitrary code as a privileged user on the underlying operating system, leading to a complete compromise of the switch running AOS-CX.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2023
This vulnerability represents a critical authenticated remote code execution flaw in the AOS-CX Network Analytics Engine, which operates within Arista Networks switching infrastructure. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the analytics engine's processing pipeline, creating a pathway for maliciously crafted data to be executed with elevated privileges. The affected system components include the network analytics engine responsible for processing telemetry data and performance metrics, which are typically handled by the underlying operating system with administrative privileges. Attackers who have gained legitimate authentication credentials can exploit this vulnerability by injecting malicious payloads through the analytics processing interfaces, bypassing normal security boundaries and executing arbitrary code with root-level access. This represents a severe privilege escalation vulnerability that directly violates the principle of least privilege and enables full system compromise. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the operating system level, allowing attackers to manipulate core system functions, install backdoors, modify system configurations, and potentially escalate access to other network devices within the same administrative domain. The impact extends beyond individual device compromise as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure, creating opportunities for lateral movement and data exfiltration. This flaw aligns with CWE-74 and CWE-79 standards, specifically addressing code injection vulnerabilities and improper neutralization of special elements used in data queries. The vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script injection, and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation. Network analytics engines are particularly susceptible to such attacks because they often process untrusted data from multiple sources without adequate sanitization, creating attack surfaces that can be exploited by adversaries with valid credentials. The authentication requirement prevents casual exploitation but does not eliminate the risk, as compromised accounts or credential theft scenarios can enable successful attacks. Organizations running AOS-CX switches must prioritize immediate remediation through official patches provided by Arista Networks, while implementing network segmentation and monitoring to detect anomalous analytics data processing activities. Additional mitigations should include strict access controls, regular credential rotation, and comprehensive network monitoring to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of securing data processing pipelines within network infrastructure and demonstrates how analytics engines can become attack vectors when proper input validation mechanisms are absent.