CVE-2023-45868 : Security Advisory and Response

A directory traversal vulnerability in the Learning Module of ILIAS 7.25 can lead to a high-impact attack affecting confidentiality and availability.

Understanding CVE-2023-45868

This CVE identifies a significant vulnerability in ILIAS 7.25, allowing a Directory Traversal attack with severe consequences on confidentiality and availability.

What is CVE-2023-45868?

The issue stems from the ability of an attacker with basic user privileges to manipulate a POST request during the creation of an exercise unit. By leveraging directory traversal, the attacker can relocate specified directories outside the documentRoot to a publicly accessible location, compromising confidentiality and availability.

The Impact of CVE-2023-45868

Exploiting this vulnerability can result in a complete loss of confidentiality, exposing sensitive resources. It may also lead to denial of access to the affected component and other operating system components. All files obtained from the specified directory become unavailable after the relocation.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-45868

This section delves into the specifics of the vulnerability, including the description, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in ILIAS 7.25 allows attackers to perform a Directory Traversal attack by manipulating a POST request. By relocating specified directories outside the documentRoot, attackers can compromise confidentiality and availability.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected system is ILIAS 7.25 with the 2023-09-12 release. All versions of the product are susceptible to this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers exploit this vulnerability by leveraging the PHP function rename() to move directories via directory traversal. Manipulating the old_name and new_name parameters during the creation of an exercise unit enables the attacker to achieve the malicious relocation.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2023-45868, immediate steps should be taken alongside the establishment of long-term security practices and patching procedures.

Immediate Steps to Take

Organizations should implement robust access controls, monitor POST requests for suspicious activity, and restrict user privileges to mitigate the risk of a Directory Traversal attack.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regular security assessments, user training on secure coding practices, and maintaining up-to-date security configurations can help prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Patch management processes should be promptly executed to apply any security updates or fixes provided by the software vendor.