CVE-2025-20232 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 9.3.2408.103, 9.2.2406.108, 9.2.2403.113, 9.1.2312.208 and 9.1.2308.212, a low-privileged user that does not hold the “admin“ or “power“ Splunk roles could run a saved search with a risky command using the permissions of a higher-privileged user to bypass the SPL safeguards for risky commands on the “/app/search/search“ endpoint through its “s“ parameter. The vulnerability requires the attacker to phish the victim by tricking them into initiating a request within their browser. The authenticated user should not be able to exploit the vulnerability at will.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2025
This vulnerability exists within Splunk Enterprise and Splunk Cloud Platform installations where certain saved searches can be manipulated to execute with elevated privileges through a specific parameter injection technique. The flaw manifests when a low-privileged user with appropriate permissions to execute saved searches can leverage the s parameter in the /app/search/search endpoint to bypass built-in security controls designed to prevent execution of potentially dangerous SPL commands. This represents a privilege escalation vulnerability that could allow unauthorized access to sensitive data or system functions through manipulation of the search execution context.
The technical mechanism involves the exploitation of parameter handling within the search endpoint where the s parameter can be manipulated to inject commands that would normally be restricted to users with admin or power roles. This occurs because the system fails to properly validate the execution context of saved searches when they are triggered through the specific endpoint. The vulnerability specifically targets the SPL (Search Processing Language) safeguards that are meant to prevent potentially harmful commands from executing without proper authorization. The flaw requires an attacker to engage in social engineering tactics to trick a victim into initiating the malicious request, as the attack cannot be executed autonomously by the low-privileged user.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations relying on Splunk for security monitoring and log analysis. An attacker who successfully tricks a user into executing a malicious saved search could gain access to data that would normally be restricted to administrators, potentially allowing them to view sensitive logs, access restricted dashboards, or perform actions that should be limited to privileged users. The vulnerability could enable unauthorized data exfiltration, lateral movement within the environment, or the ability to manipulate search results to hide malicious activity. This represents a critical security gap that undermines the principle of least privilege and could lead to comprehensive system compromise if exploited successfully.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to the patched versions of Splunk Enterprise and Splunk Cloud Platform as specified in the CVE advisory. The mitigation strategy involves ensuring all systems are running at least version 9.3.3 for Enterprise, 9.2.5, or 9.1.8, with corresponding Cloud Platform versions. Additionally, administrators should implement strict monitoring of saved search execution patterns and review user permissions to minimize the risk of successful exploitation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-285 (Improper Authorization) and could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1566 (Phishing) as it requires both legitimate user credentials and social engineering to exploit effectively. Security teams should also consider implementing network-level controls to monitor for unusual search execution patterns and establish proper incident response procedures for detecting potential exploitation attempts.