CVE-2023-45625 in ArubaOS
Summary
by MITRE • 11/15/2023
Multiple authenticated command injection vulnerabilities exist in the command line interface. Successful exploitation of these vulnerabilities result in the ability to execute arbitrary commands as a privileged user on the underlying operating system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/15/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-45625 represents a critical security flaw within the command line interface of affected systems, classified under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-77 which specifically addresses command injection vulnerabilities. This weakness occurs when an application incorporates user-supplied data into system commands without proper validation or sanitization, creating an environment where malicious actors can manipulate the execution flow of the underlying operating system. The vulnerability requires authentication to exploit, indicating that attackers must first establish valid credentials before attempting to leverage this command injection capability, though once authenticated, the impact remains severe.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves the improper handling of input parameters within the command line interface, where user-provided data is directly concatenated or passed to system execution functions without adequate sanitization. This allows authenticated users to inject malicious commands that will be executed with the privileges of the underlying system process, typically resulting in elevated privileges and potential complete system compromise. The command injection occurs at the point where user input is processed within the CLI, enabling attackers to bypass normal access controls and execute arbitrary code on the target system.
From an operational perspective, the exploitation of CVE-2023-45625 provides attackers with significant privileges and capabilities within the compromised environment. Successful exploitation allows for remote code execution with elevated privileges, potentially enabling attackers to install malware, modify system configurations, access sensitive data, or establish persistent backdoors. The authenticated nature of the vulnerability means that attackers must first obtain valid user credentials, but once achieved, the impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation to full system compromise. This vulnerability directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, making it a particularly dangerous vector for attackers seeking to maintain persistent access.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations including input validation and sanitization of all user-supplied data within command line interfaces, proper parameterization of system calls, and enforcement of least privilege principles for CLI access. Regular security audits should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across all system components, particularly those handling user input. The implementation of web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can help detect anomalous command execution patterns. Additionally, system administrators should monitor for unusual command execution patterns and implement proper logging and monitoring of CLI activities to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and conducting thorough security testing during the development lifecycle to prevent such injection vulnerabilities from being introduced into production systems.