The CVE-2022-43569 vulnerability has been discovered in certain versions of Splunk Enterprise. This security flaw allows authenticated users to inject and store arbitrary scripts, resulting in persistent cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks within the object name of a Data Model. Affected versions of Splunk Enterprise include those below 8.1.12, 8.2.9, and 9..2. The purpose of this post is to provide an in-depth analysis of the vulnerability, including code snippets, links to original references, and exploit details. For a thorough understanding, a basic knowledge of web development, JavaScript, and Splunk Enterprise is necessary.

What is Splunk Enterprise?
Splunk Enterprise is a software platform widely used to search, analyze, and visualize machine-generated data from various sources such as websites, applications, servers, and network devices. It assists organizations in detecting patterns, monitoring performance, and managing security events.

Vulnerability Details

The CVE-2022-43569 vulnerability specifically targets the object name within a Data Model in Splunk Enterprise. An authenticated user can inject and store arbitrary scripts, leading to persistent cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. In these attacks, a specially crafted script is inserted into a web application. When a user accesses the web application, the script executes within the user's browser, potentially compromising the user's data or the application's functionality.

Exploit Code Snippet

Below is an example of a vulnerable Object Name that could be inserted into the Data Model to execute arbitrary JavaScript code via XSS:

<script>alert('XSS');</script>

When a user views a Data Model with the above object name, their browser will execute the JavaScript code, resulting in an alert showing the message 'XSS.'

How to Reproduce

To replicate this vulnerability, follow these steps using an affected version of Splunk Enterprise (below 8.1.12, 8.2.9, or 9..2):

Create a new Data Model or edit an existing one.

4. Inject the exploit code (e.g., <script>alert('XSS');</script>) into the object name of a Data Model.

Patches and Fixes

The best way to address this vulnerability is by upgrading your Splunk Enterprise instance to the latest version. The affected versions are those below 8.1.12, 8.2.9, and 9..2. Upgrading will patch the CVE-2022-43569 vulnerability, protecting your system from potential attacks.

For instructions on how to upgrade your Splunk Enterprise instance, please refer to the official Splunk documentation:
Upgrade your Splunk Enterprise instance

Acknowledgements and References

The discovery of this vulnerability is credited to the security researcher community. Further information regarding CVE-2022-43569 can be found in the following resources:

- CVE-2022-43569 - NIST National Vulnerability Database
- Splunk Security Advisory - SPL-221622

Conclusion

CVE-2022-43569 is a persistent cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability within the object name of Data Models on Splunk Enterprise versions below 8.1.12, 8.2.9, and 9..2. By exploiting this vulnerability, an authenticated user can inject malicious scripts leading to unauthorized access and manipulation of data in the web application. To remediate this vulnerability, users should upgrade to the latest version of Splunk Enterprise.

Timeline

Published on: 11/04/2022 23:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 11/08/2022 20:05:00 UTC