The web development world is constantly on guard against security threats, and a recent discovery in the popular Apache Struts2 framework serves as a stark reminder.
This critical vulnerability, known as CVE-2023-50164, exposes a serious flaw that could allow malicious actors to take control of your servers, steal data, and wreak havoc on your systems.
CVE-2023-50164 is a critical vulnerability that allows an attacker to manipulate file upload parameters, enabling unauthorized path traversal.
This can potentially lead to the uploading of a malicious file, which can then be used to perform remote code execution.
In simple terms, it gives attackers the ability to execute arbitrary code on the server, compromising the security and integrity of the application.
The vulnerability arises from a flaw in the framework's handling of file upload parameters.
The vulnerability resides within the Struts2 file upload mechanism, specifically in the way it handles parameter parsing.
A meticulously crafted file upload request can exploit this flaw to bypass intended access controls and achieve unauthorized path traversal.
This allows attackers to upload malicious files to arbitrary locations on the server, including potentially sensitive directories.
Once uploaded, these malicious files can be executed, granting the attacker full control over the system.
The vulnerability stems from the lack of proper validation and sanitization of user-controlled data in the file upload process.
This enables attackers to overwrite existing files or upload new ones to unauthorized locations.
This vulnerability can be exploited in various ways, depending on the attacker's goals.
Remote Code Execution: An attacker can upload a web shell script or other malicious payload that, when accessed, executes arbitrary code on the server.
Data Exfiltration: By uploading malicious scripts, attackers can access and exfiltrate sensitive data stored on the server, including user credentials, financial information, and proprietary data.
Denial-of-Service: Malicious scripts can be uploaded to consume resources and disrupt critical services, potentially leading to denial-of-service attacks.
The potential for RCE, data exfiltration, and denial-of-service attacks makes this vulnerability highly critical and requires immediate attention.
The Apache Struts2 project has released patched versions addressing this vulnerability.
CVE-2023-50164 is a serious vulnerability that requires immediate attention from organizations using Apache Struts2.
Implementing the mitigation strategies mentioned above is crucial to protect your systems from potential attacks.
This Cyber News was published on securityboulevard.com. Publication date: Wed, 13 Dec 2023 11:43:05 +0000