CVE-2024-36997 in Splunk
Summary
by MITRE • 07/01/2024
In Splunk Enterprise versions below 9.2.2, 9.1.5, and 9.0.10 and Splunk Cloud Platform versions below 9.1.2312, an admin user could store and execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the browser context of another Splunk user through the conf-web/settings REST endpoint. This could potentially cause a persistent cross-site scripting (XSS) exploit.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-36997 represents a critical persistent cross-site scripting flaw affecting multiple versions of Splunk Enterprise and Splunk Cloud Platform. This security weakness stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the conf-web/settings REST endpoint, which processes configuration data submitted by administrative users. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions prior to 9.2.2, 9.1.5, and 9.0.10 for Splunk Enterprise, and versions prior to 9.1.2312 for Splunk Cloud Platform, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors targeting Splunk environments.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when an administrator user submits malicious JavaScript code through the affected REST endpoint. The system fails to properly sanitize or validate the input data before storing it within the application's configuration framework, allowing the malicious code to be persisted in the system's database. When other Splunk users access the web interface and trigger the display of this stored configuration data, the malicious JavaScript executes within their browser context, creating a persistent XSS attack vector. This flaw operates under CWE-79 which specifically addresses Cross-Site Scripting vulnerabilities, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for Initial Access through spearphishing attachments, as attackers could craft malicious configuration files to deliver payloads.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it enables attackers to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data within Splunk environments. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially access other users' sessions, steal authentication tokens, or manipulate Splunk's configuration to redirect traffic to malicious endpoints. The persistent nature of the XSS exploit means that the malicious code remains active until manually removed from the system, creating an ongoing threat vector that could be leveraged for extended periods without detection. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely heavily on Splunk for security information and event management, as it could compromise the integrity of security monitoring tools and potentially allow attackers to cover their tracks by modifying log data or configuration settings.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including upgrading to the patched versions of Splunk Enterprise and Splunk Cloud Platform as specified in the CVE advisory. Additional protective measures include implementing strict input validation controls at the application level, enabling Content Security Policy headers to limit script execution, and conducting thorough security assessments of existing configurations to identify any potentially compromised data. Network segmentation and monitoring of REST API endpoints can help detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of validating and sanitizing all user-supplied data in web applications, particularly in administrative interfaces where elevated privileges can be leveraged to create persistent threats. Organizations should also review their incident response procedures to ensure they can quickly detect and remediate similar vulnerabilities in their Splunk environments, as this flaw represents a significant risk to data integrity and system security within enterprise monitoring platforms.