CVE-2023-44395 in Autolab
Summary
by MITRE • 01/22/2024
Autolab is a course management service that enables instructors to offer autograded programming assignments to their students over the Web. Path traversal vulnerabilities were discovered in Autolab's assessment functionality in versions of Autolab prior to 2.12.0, whereby instructors can perform arbitrary file reads. Version 2.12.0 contains a patch. There are no feasible workarounds for this issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/16/2024
The CVE-2023-44395 vulnerability represents a critical path traversal flaw within the Autolab course management system that affects versions prior to 2.12.0. This vulnerability specifically targets the assessment functionality of Autolab, which is designed to facilitate automated grading of programming assignments for students. The system's architecture allows instructors to create and manage assessments, but the flawed implementation enables malicious actors to exploit directory traversal techniques. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization of file paths within the assessment handling components, creating an opportunity for unauthorized file access that extends beyond the intended scope of the application's file system boundaries.
This path traversal vulnerability operates through the manipulation of file path parameters that are processed by the Autolab assessment engine. When instructors submit or interact with assessment materials, the system fails to properly validate or sanitize the paths used to access files within its file system. Attackers can construct malicious path traversal sequences that allow them to navigate beyond the designated assessment directories and read arbitrary files from the underlying file system. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it leverages the privileges of authenticated instructors, meaning that any user with instructor-level access can exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized access to sensitive files, configuration data, and potentially system-level information that should remain protected.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-44395 extends beyond simple unauthorized file access, as it can lead to significant data breaches and system compromise within educational environments. Instructors who have access to the Autolab system can potentially read sensitive information such as student submissions, assignment solutions, system configuration files, database credentials, and other confidential materials that should be protected from unauthorized access. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can enable attackers to escalate their privileges within the system. The implications are particularly severe in academic settings where sensitive student data, intellectual property, and institutional information may be exposed, potentially leading to privacy violations and compliance issues under regulations such as FERPA and GDPR.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-22, which specifically addresses path traversal flaws in software systems, and represents a classic example of insufficient input validation that allows attackers to manipulate file system access. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques such as T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for social engineering, as it can be exploited through legitimate instructor access. The lack of feasible workarounds means that organizations must immediately upgrade to version 2.12.0 or later to address the vulnerability, as no temporary mitigations can effectively prevent exploitation. Organizations should also implement comprehensive monitoring of file access patterns and consider network segmentation to limit potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. The patch included in version 2.12.0 addresses the root cause by implementing proper input validation and sanitization of file paths, ensuring that all file access operations are properly constrained to the intended directories and preventing traversal beyond the designated assessment boundaries.