CVE-2023-50260: wazuh Code Injection

Description

Wazuh is a free and open source platform used for threat prevention, detection, and response. A wrong validation in the `host_deny` script allows to write any string in the `hosts.deny` file, which can end in an arbitrary command execution on the target system. This vulnerability is part of the active response feature, which can automatically triggers actions in response to alerts. By default, active responses are limited to a set of pre defined executables. This is enforced by only allowing executables stored under `/var/ossec/active-response/bin` to be run as an active response. However, the `/var/ossec/active-response/bin/host_deny` can be exploited. `host_deny` is used to add IP address to the `/etc/hosts.deny` file to block incoming connections on a service level by using TCP wrappers. Attacker can inject arbitrary command into the `/etc/hosts.deny` file and execute arbitrary command by using the spawn directive. The active response can be triggered by writing events either to the local `execd` queue on server or to the `ar` queue which forwards the events to agents. So, it can leads to LPE on server as root and RCE on agent as root. This vulnerability is fixed in 4.7.2.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

8.8

HIGH

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-94 CWE-94

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
wazuh	wazuh	4.2.0 — 4.7.2

References

Advisories & Patches

https://github.com/wazuh/wazuh/security/advisories/GHSA-mjq2-xf8g-68vw https://github.com/wazuh/wazuh/security/advisories/GHSA-mjq2-xf8g-68vw

Exploits

https://github.com/wazuh/wazuh/security/advisories/GHSA-mjq2-xf8g-68vw https://github.com/wazuh/wazuh/security/advisories/GHSA-mjq2-xf8g-68vw

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-50260? +

Wazuh is a free and open source platform used for threat prevention, detection, and response. A wrong validation in the `host_deny` script allows to write any string in the `hosts.deny` file, which can end in an arbitrary command execution on the target system. This vulnerability is part of the active response feature, which can automatically triggers actions in response to alerts. By default, active responses are limited to a set of pre defined executables. This is enforced by only allowing executables stored under `/var/ossec/active-response/bin` to be run as an active response. However, the `/var/ossec/active-response/bin/host_deny` can be exploited. `host_deny` is used to add IP address to the `/etc/hosts.deny` file to block incoming connections on a service level by using TCP wrappers. Attacker can inject arbitrary command into the `/etc/hosts.deny` file and execute arbitrary command by using the spawn directive. The active response can be triggered by writing events either to the local `execd` queue on server or to the `ar` queue which forwards the events to agents. So, it can leads to LPE on server as root and RCE on agent as root. This vulnerability is fixed in 4.7.2. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2023-50260? +

CVE-2023-50260 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 8.8 out of 10, rated HIGH. This is a high-severity vulnerability that should be prioritized for patching.

What products are affected by CVE-2023-50260? +

CVE-2023-50260 affects products from wazuh, specifically: wazuh. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2023-50260? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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