CVE-2023-48258 in Nexo Cordless Nutrunner
Summary
by MITRE • 01/10/2024
The vulnerability allows a remote attacker to delete arbitrary files on the file system via a crafted URL or HTTP request through a victim’s session.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/28/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical remote file deletion flaw that enables attackers to manipulate file system operations through specially crafted web requests. The issue manifests when the application fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied input during file handling operations, allowing malicious actors to construct requests that target arbitrary file paths within the system's file structure. The vulnerability specifically affects web applications that process file operations through HTTP requests, where user input directly influences file system interactions without adequate access controls or path validation mechanisms. Such flaws typically occur in applications that support file upload, download, or management functionalities where the underlying code does not sufficiently restrict file path traversal or deletion operations based on user-provided data.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability follows a pattern where attackers craft malicious URLs or HTTP requests containing specially formatted file paths or deletion commands that bypass normal access controls. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-22 category known as "Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1070.004 for "File Deletion" and T1566.001 for "Phishing via Social Media" when attackers use crafted web requests to target user sessions. The flaw essentially allows an attacker to manipulate the application's file system operations by injecting malicious input that gets processed without proper sanitization, potentially leading to the deletion of critical system files, user data, or application configuration files. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates through standard web protocols and can be exploited without requiring elevated privileges or specialized tools beyond basic web request construction.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data loss to encompass complete system compromise and business disruption. When exploited successfully, attackers can delete critical application files, user documents, or system configuration data, potentially leading to application downtime, data corruption, or complete system failure. The vulnerability can be particularly devastating in environments where the application has elevated privileges or access to sensitive system directories, as attackers could target backup files, database files, or system binaries that would cause cascading failures. Organizations may experience significant operational disruption when attackers delete files through active user sessions, potentially affecting multiple users simultaneously and creating widespread service degradation. The risk is compounded when the application processes user-generated content or supports file management features, as the attack surface expands to include any file operations that might be vulnerable to manipulation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust input validation, access control mechanisms, and proper file system operation restrictions. Organizations must ensure that all user-supplied input undergoes strict sanitization and validation before being used in file system operations, implementing proper path validation that prevents directory traversal attacks and ensures that file operations occur only within designated safe directories. The implementation of least privilege principles should be enforced, limiting the application's file system access to only necessary directories and preventing access to critical system files. Additionally, organizations should deploy web application firewalls and input validation controls to detect and block malicious requests before they reach the vulnerable application components. Regular security testing, including penetration testing and code reviews focused on file handling operations, should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities. The security controls should also include monitoring for unusual file deletion patterns and implementing proper logging of file system operations to detect potential exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and application-level access controls can further limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs, while regular system updates and security patches help prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities in the underlying software stack.