CVE-2023-46845 in EC-CUBE
Summary
by MITRE • 11/07/2023
EC-CUBE 3 series (3.0.0 to 3.0.18-p6) and 4 series (4.0.0 to 4.0.6-p3, 4.1.0 to 4.1.2-p2, and 4.2.0 to 4.2.2) contain an arbitrary code execution vulnerability due to improper settings of the template engine Twig included in the product. As a result, arbitrary code may be executed on the server where the product is running by a user with an administrative privilege.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-46845 affects EC-CUBE e-commerce platforms across multiple versions including 3.0.0 through 3.0.18-p6 and 4.0.0 through 4.2.2 across various patch levels. This represents a critical security flaw that stems from improper configuration of the Twig template engine component integrated within the EC-CUBE framework. The vulnerability specifically exploits weaknesses in how template rendering is handled, creating an environment where malicious code can be executed with elevated privileges. The flaw is particularly dangerous because it requires only administrative access to be exploited, making it accessible to attackers who have already gained administrative privileges within the system. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of code injection attacks and aligns with CWE-94, which describes "Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')" as the underlying weakness. The attack vector leverages the template engine's processing capabilities to execute arbitrary commands on the affected server.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of user-supplied template data within the Twig engine configuration. When administrators interact with the EC-CUBE platform, particularly through administrative interfaces that process template content, the system fails to properly sanitize or validate template variables. This misconfiguration allows attackers with administrative access to inject malicious template code that gets processed and executed on the server. The vulnerability demonstrates a clear breakdown in input validation and output encoding practices, creating a path for command execution that bypasses normal security controls. The exploitation requires an attacker to already possess administrative credentials, but this access level provides sufficient privileges to manipulate template files or parameters that ultimately get rendered by the vulnerable Twig engine. This attack pattern is consistent with techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under T1059.001 for command and script injection.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-46845 extends beyond simple code execution to encompass complete system compromise. Once exploited, attackers can execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the web server process, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system persistence, or further network reconnaissance. The vulnerability affects both the EC-CUBE 3 and 4 series, indicating a widespread issue across the platform's major versions, which increases the potential attack surface significantly. Organizations running affected versions face substantial risk of unauthorized access, data breaches, and system compromise. The vulnerability's exploitation requires administrative access, but this access level provides attackers with the ability to manipulate the core template processing system. This makes the vulnerability particularly concerning for e-commerce platforms that store sensitive customer data and financial information. The impact on business operations could include service disruption, regulatory compliance violations, and reputational damage.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-46845 primarily focus on immediate version upgrades to patched releases of EC-CUBE 3 and 4 series. Organizations should prioritize updating to the latest available versions that contain fixes for the template engine configuration issues. Additionally, implementing strict access controls and privilege separation can help reduce the impact if exploitation occurs, although the vulnerability requires administrative access to be exploited. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual template processing activities and unauthorized modifications to template files. Network segmentation and web application firewalls can provide additional protective layers, though they may not prevent this specific attack vector. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper template engine configuration and input validation practices. Organizations should review their template processing systems to ensure that user-supplied content is properly sanitized and that template engines are configured with appropriate security settings. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of secure coding practices and proper configuration management in web applications, particularly those handling sensitive data. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be implemented to identify and remediate similar issues before they can be exploited by attackers.