CVE-2023-6746 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This CVE-2023-6746 pertains to a vulnerability identified in GitHub Enterprise Server, specifically involving the insertion of sensitive information into log files. The impact of this vulnerability is significant, classified as a highly severe issue with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1.

Understanding CVE-2023-6746

This section provides a detailed overview of CVE-2023-6746, including its nature, impacts, and affected systems.

What is CVE-2023-6746?

The vulnerability in CVE-2023-6746 involves the insertion of sensitive information into log files of GitHub Enterprise Server back-end services. This flaw could potentially enable an adversary-in-the-middle attack when combined with other phishing techniques. Exploiting this vulnerability requires access to the GitHub Enterprise Server log files, backup archives created with GitHub Enterprise Server Backup Utilities, or services receiving streamed logs. The issue affects all versions of GitHub Enterprise Server since version 3.7 and has been remediated in versions 3.7.19, 3.8.12, 3.9.7, 3.10.4, and 3.11.1.

The Impact of CVE-2023-6746

The impact of CVE-2023-6746 is classified under CAPEC-21 (Exploitation of Trusted Credentials), signifying the severity of the vulnerability. The confidentiality and integrity impacts are high, with a base severity rating of "HIGH."

Technical Details of CVE-2023-6746

In this section, we delve into the technical specifics of CVE-2023-6746, including the vulnerability description, affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability involves the insertion of sensitive information into log files for GitHub Enterprise Server, potentially leading to an adversary-in-the-middle attack scenario.

Affected Systems and Versions

GitHub's Enterprise Server versions 3.7 to 3.11 inclusive are impacted by this vulnerability. Specifically, versions 3.7.0, 3.8.0, 3.9.0, 3.10.0, and 3.11 are affected.

Exploitation Mechanism

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need access to the log files of the GitHub Enterprise Server appliance, backup archives created with GitHub Enterprise Server Backup Utilities, or services receiving streamed logs.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section outlines the steps to mitigate and prevent the exploitation of CVE-2023-6746 within GitHub Enterprise Server instances.

Immediate Steps to Take

Immediately update affected GitHub Enterprise Server instances to versions 3.7.19, 3.8.12, 3.9.7, 3.10.4, or 3.11.1 to remediate the vulnerability and enhance security posture.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement strict access controls, monitoring solutions, and regular security audits to detect and prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Regularly check for security updates and patches released by GitHub for the Enterprise Server to stay protected against emerging threats and vulnerabilities.