CVE-2023-25555 in StruxureWare Data Center Expert
Summary
by MITRE • 04/19/2023
A CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') vulnerability exists that could allow a user that knows the credentials to execute unprivileged shell commands on the appliance over SSH.
Affected products: StruxureWare Data Center Expert (V7.9.2 and prior)
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/13/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-25555 represents a critical operating system command injection flaw classified under CWE-78, which occurs when special elements in operating system commands are not properly neutralized. This weakness allows an attacker with valid credentials to execute unauthorized shell commands on the affected appliance through secure shell connections. The vulnerability specifically impacts StruxureWare Data Center Expert versions 7.9.2 and earlier, creating a significant security risk for data center infrastructure management systems. The flaw stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization mechanisms that fail to properly escape or filter command-line arguments, enabling malicious command injection attacks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to possess legitimate user credentials for the system, as the attack vector operates over SSH connections where the authenticated user can manipulate command execution parameters. When the application processes user-supplied input without proper sanitization, it directly incorporates this input into operating system commands, allowing attackers to append malicious commands that execute with the privileges of the compromised user account. This type of injection vulnerability enables attackers to perform various malicious activities including but not limited to data exfiltration, system reconnaissance, privilege escalation, and persistent access establishment. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it operates at the operating system level, potentially allowing attackers to bypass application-level security controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple command execution, as it can enable attackers to compromise the entire data center management infrastructure. An attacker could potentially gain access to sensitive operational data, manipulate system configurations, install backdoors, or even cause system downtime through malicious command execution. The affected StruxureWare Data Center Expert environment serves as a critical component for monitoring and managing data center operations, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for organizations relying on these systems for infrastructure management. The vulnerability's presence in version 7.9.2 and prior indicates that organizations using older versions of the software face significant risk, as the flaw likely exists in the core command processing modules of the application's SSH implementation.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the latest available version of StruxureWare Data Center Expert that addresses this vulnerability, implementing strict input validation and sanitization procedures, and applying network segmentation controls to limit SSH access to authorized personnel only. The remediation approach should also include monitoring for suspicious command execution patterns and implementing principle of least privilege access controls for SSH accounts. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected versions and ensure proper patch management procedures are in place. Additionally, organizations should review their SSH configurations to disable unnecessary command execution capabilities and implement proper logging and alerting mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1566.001 for Phishing, as the attack vector requires valid credentials and leverages command execution capabilities to achieve persistent access to critical infrastructure systems.