Splunk Enterprise: Uncontrolled Search Path Element
CVE-2023-40596 is a high-severity uncontrolled search path element vulnerability in Splunk Enterprise from Splunk, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 8.2.12, 9.0.6, 9.1.1 as the first without the flaw, so updating Splunk Enterprise to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.17% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Splunk Enterprise to 8.2.12 or 9.0.6 or 9.1.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update splunk to 8.2.12 or 9.0.6 or 9.1.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on advisory.splunk.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Splunk | Splunk Enterprise | 8.2 up to, but not including, 8.2.12; 9.0 up to, but not including, 9.0.6; 9.1 up to, but not including, 9.1.1 | 8.2.12, 9.0.6, 9.1.1 |
| Splunk | splunk | 8.2 up to, but not including, 8.2.12; 9.0 up to, but not including, 9.0.6; 9.1 up to, but not including, 9.1.1 | 8.2.12, 9.0.6, 9.1.1 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.0 | High | CNA (splunk.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.8 | High | NVD |
Official description
In Splunk Enterprise versions earlier than 8.2.12, 9.0.6, and 9.1.1, a dynamic link library (DLL) that ships with Splunk Enterprise references an insecure path for the OPENSSLDIR build definition. An attacker can abuse this reference and subsequently install malicious code to achieve privilege escalation on the Windows machine.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Uncontrolled Search Path Element
The product uses a fixed or controlled search path to find resources, but one or more locations in that path can be under the control of unintended actors.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Hard-code the search path to a set of known-safe values (such as system directories), or only allow them to be specified by the administrator in a configuration file. Do not allow these settings to be modified by an external party. Be careful to avoid related weaknesses such as CWE-426 and CWE-428.
- When invoking other programs, specify those programs using fully-qualified pathnames. While this is an effective approach, code that uses fully-qualified pathnames might not be portable to other systems that do not use the same pathnames. The portability can be improved by locating the full-qualified paths in a centralized, easily-modifiable location within the source code, and having the code refer to these paths.
- Remove or restrict all environment settings before invoking other programs. This includes the PATH environment variable, LD_LIBRARY_PATH, and other settings that identify the location of code libraries, and any application-specific search paths.
More Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerabilities (CWE-427)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other vulnerabilities in Splunk Enterprise
- 9.9 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.9 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
Recent Uncontrolled Search Path Element vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
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