CVE-2023-2479 - OS Command Injection Vulnerability in GitHub repository appium/appium-desktop prior to v1.22.3-4

A recent security vulnerability, CVE-2023-2479, has been identified and acknowledged in the Appium Appium-Desktop GitHub repository. This vulnerability poses a serious risk to users as it allows an attacker to execute arbitrary OS commands on the host system. In this post, we'll provide an extensive overview of this vulnerability, a code snippet demonstrating how it can be exploited, links to original references, and details on effective mitigations.

Vulnerability Details

Appium Desktop is a popular open-source tool for automating mobile devices, primarily used for mobile application testing. The vulnerability in question, CVE-2023-2479, has been found to affect the version of Appium Desktop prior to v1.22.3-4. This OS command injection flaw allows an attacker to run arbitrary commands on the server running Appium-Desktop, potentially leading to the compromise of sensitive information or complete takeover of the system.

Exploit Details

The affected Appium-Desktop software does not perform proper input validation when processing certain commands. This lack of proper validation opens up the possibility for an attacker to inject and ultimately execute malicious OS commands on the host system.

For example, a maliciously crafted command such as the one shown below could exploit the vulnerability, allowing an attacker to gain unauthorized access and perform malicious activities:

var attack_payload = "'; some_malicious_command; '";

This payload, when successfully injected, could cause the execution of the "some_malicious_command," leading to potential information disclosure, system compromise, or denial-of-service attacks.

The following code snippet is an example of what not to do, which could lead to the OS command injection:

const { exec } = require("child_process");

app.post("/vulnerable-endpoint", (req, res) => {
  const command = req.body.command;
  exec("appium " + command, (err, stdout, stderr) => {
    if (err) {
      return res.status(500).send({ error: err.message });
    }
    res.send({ stdout, stderr });
  });
});

Mitigations and Patches

The vulnerability has been patched in Appium-Desktop v1.22.3-4. Users are advised to update their installations as soon as possible to this version or a later, secure version.

Additionally, developers should always ensure secure coding practices are followed and input validation and sanitization are performed on all incoming data to prevent potential vulnerabilities such as this OS command injection flaw.

Original References

1. GitHub Release Notes: Appium-Desktop Release v1.22.3-4
2. Appium-Desktop Github Repository: https://github.com/appium/appium-desktop

Conclusion

CVE-2023-2479 - OS Command Injection vulnerability - is a serious flaw affecting Appium-Desktop prior to version 1.22.3-4. The vulnerability allows an attacker to execute arbitrary OS commands on the host system. Users and developers are advised to update their installations to a patched version and ensure proper input validation and sanitization practices are implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Timeline

Published on: 05/02/2023 15:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 05/17/2023 17:05:00 UTC