CVE-2023-38318 in OpenNDS
Summary
by MITRE • 01/26/2024
An issue was discovered in OpenNDS before 10.1.3. It fails to sanitize the gateway FQDN entry in the configuration file, allowing attackers that have direct or indirect access to this file to execute arbitrary OS commands.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-38318 represents a critical command injection flaw within the OpenNDS software version 10.1.2 and earlier. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the gateway Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) configuration parameter. The flaw exists in the software's configuration file processing logic where the FQDN entry is not properly sanitized before being used in system commands, creating a pathway for malicious command execution.
This vulnerability operates under the weakness classification of CWE-77 and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and script injection. The root cause lies in the software's failure to implement proper input sanitization for user-supplied data within configuration files. When the OpenNDS service processes its configuration file containing an unsanitized gateway FQDN, it directly incorporates this value into shell commands without adequate validation or escaping mechanisms, enabling attackers to inject malicious commands that will execute with the privileges of the OpenNDS service account.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it allows attackers with access to the configuration file to execute arbitrary operating system commands on the affected system. This access can be achieved through direct file system access or indirect means such as privilege escalation attacks or exploitation of other vulnerabilities that grant file modification capabilities. The command injection occurs at the system level, potentially enabling full system compromise, data exfiltration, or persistence mechanisms. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to establish backdoors, install malware, or perform reconnaissance activities that would be difficult to detect within the network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-38318 should prioritize immediate software updates to version 10.1.3 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the command injection vulnerability. Organizations should implement strict file access controls and permissions for configuration files to limit who can modify them, ensuring that only authorized administrators have write access. Additionally, system administrators should monitor for unauthorized configuration file modifications and implement file integrity monitoring solutions. Network segmentation and privilege separation should be enforced to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation in configuration management systems and highlights the need for robust sanitization of all user-supplied data before it is processed by system commands. Security teams should also consider implementing automated configuration management tools that enforce proper sanitization and validation of all configuration parameters to prevent similar issues in other software components.