CVE-2024-49368 in Nginx-UI
Summary
by MITRE • 10/21/2024
Nginx UI is a web user interface for the Nginx web server. Prior to version 2.0.0-beta.36, when Nginx UI configures logrotate, it does not verify the input and directly passes it to exec.Command, causing arbitrary command execution. Version 2.0.0-beta.36 fixes this issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/24/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-49368 affects Nginx UI, a web-based user interface designed to manage Nginx web server configurations. This tool serves as an intermediary between administrators and the underlying Nginx infrastructure, providing a graphical interface for managing server settings, configurations, and related services. The flaw exists specifically within the logrotate configuration functionality of the application, which is responsible for managing log file rotation to prevent excessive disk space consumption. Prior to version 2.0.0-beta.36, the application failed to implement proper input validation mechanisms when processing user-provided data for logrotate configuration.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input sanitization within the application's command execution flow. When administrators configure logrotate settings through the Nginx UI interface, the application receives user input containing log rotation parameters and other configuration directives. Instead of validating or sanitizing this input through proper security controls, the system directly passes these parameters to the exec.Command function in the underlying programming environment. This direct pass-through creates a critical path for command injection attacks where malicious input can be interpreted and executed as system commands with the privileges of the Nginx UI process. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-78, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands, and represents a classic command injection vulnerability that can be exploited through improper input handling.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and potentially catastrophic for affected systems. An attacker who gains access to the Nginx UI interface could execute arbitrary commands on the host system with the same privileges as the Nginx UI application. This could lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, privilege escalation to root-level access, or the installation of backdoors and persistent malware. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited through the web interface, making it accessible to remote attackers without requiring local system access. The attack surface expands significantly when considering that Nginx UI is often deployed in production environments where it may have elevated privileges and access to critical system resources. This vulnerability directly maps to several ATT&CK techniques including T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, making it a significant concern for security operations teams.
The remediation for this vulnerability requires immediate deployment of version 2.0.0-beta.36 or later, which implements proper input validation and sanitization mechanisms for logrotate configuration parameters. Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to ensure all instances of Nginx UI are updated and verify that no other components within the system are vulnerable to similar command injection flaws. Security teams should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of the Nginx UI interface to authorized personnel only. Additional defensive measures include monitoring for unusual command execution patterns, implementing web application firewalls to detect and block malicious input patterns, and establishing proper input validation controls across all user-facing interfaces. The fix addresses the core issue by ensuring that all user-provided input undergoes proper sanitization before being processed by system command execution functions, thereby preventing the exploitation of command injection vulnerabilities through the logrotate configuration interface.