CVE-2023-5194 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

This CVE record for CVE-2023-5194 was published by Mattermost on September 29, 2023. The vulnerability involves Mattermost failing to properly validate permissions when demoting and deactivating a user, allowing a system/user manager to demote or deactivate another manager.

Understanding CVE-2023-5194

This section will cover what CVE-2023-5194 is and its impact, along with technical details and mitigation strategies.

What is CVE-2023-5194?

CVE-2023-5194 relates to a security vulnerability in Mattermost where the system/user manager can improperly demote or deactivate another manager due to inadequate permission validation.

The Impact of CVE-2023-5194

The impact of this vulnerability is rated as low severity. It has a CVSSv3.1 base score of 2.7, with low attack complexity and network attack vector. While the confidentiality and integrity impacts are none, there is a high privilege required for exploitation.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-5194

In this section, we will delve into the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, as well as the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

Mattermost fails to properly validate permissions when demoting and deactivating a user, allowing a system/user manager to demote or deactivate another manager.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects Mattermost versions 8.1.0 and below, as well as versions 7.8.9 and below. Versions 8.1.1 and 7.8.10 are not affected by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

The exploitation of this vulnerability requires a high level of privileges from the attacker. By exploiting this flaw, a system/user manager can potentially manipulate the permissions of another manager.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section focuses on immediate steps to take, long-term security practices, and the recommended patching and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

It is crucial to update Mattermost Server to versions 8.1.1, 7.8.10, or higher to mitigate the vulnerability. Additionally, reviewing and adjusting user permissions within the platform can help prevent unauthorized actions.

Long-Term Security Practices

In the long term, organizations should enforce the principle of least privilege, regularly review and update access controls, and conduct security training for system managers to ensure proper handling of sensitive permissions.

Patching and Updates

Mattermost has released updates to address this vulnerability. Users are strongly advised to promptly apply the security patches to safeguard their systems from potential exploitation.