CVE-2023-43800 in Create Agent
Summary
by MITRE • 10/25/2023
Arduino Create Agent is a package to help manage Arduino development. The vulnerability affects the endpoint `/v2/pkgs/tools/installed`. A user who has the ability to perform HTTP requests to the localhost interface, or is able to bypass the CORS configuration, can escalate his privileges to those of the user running the Arduino Create Agent service via a crafted HTTP POST request. This issue has been addressed in version `1.3.3`. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/11/2023
The Arduino Create Agent represents a critical security vulnerability that undermines the integrity of Arduino development environments through a privilege escalation flaw in its HTTP endpoint handling. This vulnerability specifically targets the `/v2/pkgs/tools/installed` endpoint which serves as a gateway for managing installed tools within the Arduino ecosystem. The flaw exists in how the agent processes HTTP POST requests to this endpoint, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to elevate their privileges to match those of the user account running the Arduino Create Agent service. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within the localhost interface, meaning that any user with access to make HTTP requests to the local machine can exploit this weakness without requiring external network access or complex attack vectors.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and privilege management within the Arduino Create Agent's authentication and authorization framework. When a crafted HTTP POST request is sent to the vulnerable endpoint, the agent fails to properly verify the request's legitimacy or validate the user's privileges before executing the requested operation. This misconfiguration allows an attacker to manipulate the agent's behavior and gain elevated system privileges. The vulnerability essentially bypasses the normal security boundaries that should protect the service from unauthorized privilege escalation, creating a direct path for attackers to assume control of the agent's operational context. According to CWE classification, this represents a privilege escalation vulnerability that falls under CWE-269, which deals with inadequate privilege management in software systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to potentially compromise the entire Arduino development environment and underlying system resources. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they can execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the Arduino Create Agent service user, which may include system-level access depending on how the service is configured. This could result in unauthorized modification of development tools, access to sensitive project files, or even system-wide compromise if the agent service runs with elevated privileges. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by its location within the localhost interface, making it accessible to any local user or process that can make HTTP requests to the machine, effectively creating a broad attack surface that could be exploited by malware or other malicious processes running on the same system. This scenario aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which describes the exploitation of system vulnerabilities to gain elevated privileges.
The security implications of this vulnerability are particularly severe in development environments where multiple users might have local access to the machine or where automated processes could inadvertently expose the localhost interface to unauthorized access. The fact that this vulnerability exists in a tool designed for Arduino development creates a unique risk profile since developers often work in environments where the agent service might be running with elevated privileges to manage hardware connections and tool installations. The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to version 1.3.3 or later, which implements proper input validation and privilege checking mechanisms to prevent the exploitation of this vulnerability. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security measures such as restricting access to the localhost interface, monitoring for unusual HTTP requests to the Arduino agent endpoints, and ensuring that the agent service runs with the minimum required privileges to reduce the potential impact of such vulnerabilities. Without proper patching, this vulnerability leaves Arduino development environments exposed to potential compromise through local privilege escalation attacks.