CVE-2025-20229 in Splunk
Summary
by MITRE • 03/27/2025
In Splunk Enterprise versions below 9.3.3, 9.2.5, and 9.1.8, and Splunk Cloud Platform versions below 9.3.2408.104, 9.2.2406.108, 9.2.2403.114, and 9.1.2312.208, a low-privileged user that does not hold the "admin" or "power" Splunk roles could perform a Remote Code Execution (RCE) through a file upload to the "$SPLUNK_HOME/var/run/splunk/apptemp" directory due to missing authorization checks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/02/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical authorization bypass flaw in Splunk Enterprise and Cloud Platform installations that affects multiple version streams. The vulnerability exists due to insufficient access controls within the application's file upload mechanism, specifically targeting the apptemp directory where unauthorized users can upload malicious files. The flaw allows low-privileged users to execute arbitrary code on the affected systems, fundamentally undermining the security model of Splunk's role-based access control. This issue stems from a failure to properly validate user permissions before allowing file upload operations, creating an avenue for privilege escalation and remote code execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of a path traversal or directory traversal mechanism within Splunk's application framework. When users upload files to the designated temporary directory, the system fails to verify whether the requesting user possesses adequate privileges to perform such operations. This authorization gap enables attackers to bypass normal security boundaries and execute code with the privileges of the Splunk service account. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the file system level, allowing attackers to potentially install backdoors, modify system configurations, or exfiltrate sensitive data. The affected directories are typically used for temporary application processing, making them ideal targets for persistent malicious code deployment.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents a severe threat to Splunk deployments across enterprise environments where multiple users with varying privilege levels interact with the system. Attackers can leverage this flaw to gain persistent access to network monitoring infrastructure, potentially compromising the integrity of security event data and operational logs. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires minimal privileges to exploit, meaning that users with basic read or search permissions could escalate their access to full system control. Organizations relying on Splunk for security monitoring and incident response may find their entire security posture compromised, as the system becomes a potential attack surface for lateral movement and data exfiltration. The vulnerability also impacts the availability of the Splunk service, as attackers could potentially disrupt operations through malicious code execution.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate version upgrades to patched releases including Splunk Enterprise 9.3.3, 9.2.5, and 9.1.8, alongside Splunk Cloud Platform versions 9.3.2408.104, 9.2.2406.108, 9.2.2403.114, and 9.1.2312.208. Organizations should implement additional network segmentation to limit access to Splunk instances and monitor for unauthorized file uploads to temporary directories. Security controls should include disabling unnecessary file upload functionality where possible and implementing strict file type validation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in software systems, and maps to ATT&CK techniques including T1059 for command and scripting interpreter and T1078 for valid accounts. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their Splunk deployments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and implement comprehensive monitoring for suspicious file upload activities.