CVE-2023-52176 in Malware Scanner Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 06/04/2024
Authentication Bypass by Spoofing vulnerability in miniorange Malware Scanner allows Accessing Functionality Not Properly Constrained by ACLs.This issue affects Malware Scanner: from n/a through 4.7.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2024
The CVE-2023-52176 vulnerability represents a critical authentication bypass flaw within the miniorange Malware Scanner plugin, specifically impacting versions ranging from the initial release through 4.7.1. This vulnerability stems from improper validation of user authentication tokens and session management mechanisms, creating a scenario where malicious actors can spoof legitimate user credentials to gain unauthorized access to restricted administrative functions. The flaw exploits weaknesses in the plugin's access control implementation, allowing attackers to bypass the intended authentication checks and access functionality that should be properly constrained by access control lists. The vulnerability manifests when the system fails to adequately verify the authenticity of incoming requests, particularly those attempting to access privileged administrative interfaces or perform sensitive operations. This authentication bypass vulnerability directly violates fundamental security principles and creates a significant risk for systems running the affected plugin versions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the plugin's failure to properly validate authentication tokens or session identifiers during critical administrative operations. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious requests that appear to originate from authenticated users with appropriate privileges, thereby circumventing the normal authentication flow. The flaw likely resides in the way the plugin processes user credentials, validates session state, or handles request routing for administrative functions. This issue falls under the CWE-287 category of "Improper Authentication" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for Valid Accounts and T1566.001 for Spearphishing Attachment. The vulnerability enables unauthorized access to malware scanning functions, configuration settings, and potentially sensitive system data that should only be accessible to authorized administrators. The spoofing mechanism typically involves manipulating request headers, session tokens, or authentication parameters to mimic legitimate user sessions.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-52176 is severe and multifaceted, as it allows attackers to perform arbitrary administrative actions within the compromised system. Once exploited, the vulnerability provides access to malware scanning capabilities, configuration modifications, and potentially system-level operations that could lead to complete system compromise. Attackers can leverage this access to modify security settings, disable protective measures, install malicious code, or exfiltrate sensitive data from the affected environment. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple versions suggests a fundamental flaw in the plugin's security architecture that affects a broad user base. Organizations running affected versions face significant risk of data breaches, system compromise, and potential regulatory violations. The impact extends beyond immediate security concerns to include operational disruption, reputational damage, and potential compliance violations under various data protection regulations.
Organizations should immediately implement multiple layers of mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability. The primary recommendation involves updating to the latest available version of the miniorange Malware Scanner plugin where the vulnerability has been patched. Additionally, implementing network-level access controls, such as firewall rules and IP whitelisting for administrative interfaces, can help limit exposure. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous authentication patterns or unauthorized administrative access attempts. The implementation of multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts provides an additional security layer that can help mitigate the impact of credential compromise. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar issues in other plugins or system components. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious requests attempting to exploit this authentication bypass. The mitigation approach should follow security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-53 and ISO/IEC 27001 standards, focusing on access control, authentication, and monitoring controls to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities.