CVE-2023-52252 in Unified Remote
Summary
by MITRE • 12/30/2023
Unified Remote 3.13.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary Lua code because of a wildcarded Access-Control-Allow-Origin for the Remote upload endpoint.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-52252 affects Unified Remote version 3.13.0 and represents a critical security flaw that enables remote code execution through improper access control implementation. This vulnerability specifically targets the remote upload endpoint within the Unified Remote application, which is designed to facilitate remote control and automation capabilities for various devices and systems. The flaw stems from an overly permissive Access-Control-Allow-Origin header configuration that uses wildcard characters, creating an avenue for malicious actors to bypass intended security boundaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of cross-origin resource sharing policies within the web interface of Unified Remote. When the application processes file uploads through its remote endpoint, it fails to properly validate the origin of requests, instead accepting all domains through wildcard matching in the Access-Control-Allow-Origin header. This misconfiguration allows attackers to craft malicious requests from arbitrary domains that can successfully interact with the upload functionality. The combination of this weak access control with the ability to upload and execute Lua scripts creates a direct path for remote code execution, as the system processes uploaded files without adequate sandboxing or validation mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution to encompass complete system compromise and unauthorized access to connected devices. Attackers can leverage this flaw to upload malicious Lua scripts that can manipulate the remote control environment, access system resources, exfiltrate data, or establish persistent backdoors. The vulnerability affects the core functionality of Unified Remote, which is designed to provide secure remote access to computing environments, making it particularly dangerous for users who rely on this software for legitimate remote administration tasks. Organizations using Unified Remote in production environments face significant risk of unauthorized access to their networked systems, potentially leading to data breaches, system compromise, or lateral movement within their infrastructure.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-346, which addresses "Origin Validation Error" in web applications, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: Lua" as attackers can leverage the Lua execution environment to perform malicious activities. Additionally, this issue demonstrates characteristics of CWE-284, "Improper Access Control," where insufficient restrictions on access to resources allow unauthorized operations. Security practitioners should implement immediate mitigations including disabling the vulnerable upload functionality, implementing proper origin validation, and restricting access to the upload endpoint through network-level controls. The recommended approach involves configuring the Access-Control-Allow-Origin header to use specific domain values rather than wildcards, implementing proper authentication and authorization checks for file uploads, and deploying network segmentation to limit access to the affected service. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious requests targeting this specific vulnerability pattern.