A newly discovered security vulnerability (CVE-2023-41005) has been identified in the popular Content Management System (CMS) Pagekit, specifically in version 1..18. The flaw allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on the target platform via the downloadAction and updateAction functions in UpdateController.php. This blog post delves into the details of the vulnerability, complete with code snippets, links to original references, and an overview of how attackers might exploit the flaw.

Vulnerability Details

As mentioned earlier, the vulnerability stems from Pagekit v1..18's UpdateController.php file, where the downloadAction and updateAction functions are present. By exploiting this flaw, an attacker can execute arbitrary code on the target system, leading to Remote Code Execution (RCE). This means an attacker can potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive information, compromise the system, or even control the entire system.

Code Snippet

The following is a code snippet from UpdateController.php in Pagekit v1..18, showing the vulnerable downloadAction and updateAction functions:

public function downloadAction(Request $request)
{
  $this->config('version', $update = $this->requireUpdate($request, true));

  $response = $this->getUrl($update['url'] . '?access_token=' . $this->config('api_key'));

  if (!$response || !in_array($response->getStatusCode(), ['200', '302'])) {
    App::abort(500, 'Unable to connect to the marketplace.');
  }
  ...

public function updateAction(Request $request)
{
  $update = $this->requireUpdate($request);
  $src    = sprintf('%s.tmp', tempnam($this->getTempPath(), ''));
  $path   = App::get('path.temp') . '/' . uniqid('pk');
  ...

Detailed information about the vulnerability can be found by visiting the following references

1. CVE-2023-41005 Details
2. NVD - CVE-2023-41005

Exploit

Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted requests to the target Pagekit instance. The downloadAction function takes a URL parameter containing the attacker's malicious code. The updateAction function then processes this malicious code while updating the Pagekit system. During the update process, the attacker's code is executed, allowing them to achieve remote code execution.

Mitigation

As of now, there is no patch or security update available to address this vulnerability in Pagekit v1..18. In order to mitigate the risk associated with this flaw, website administrators running Pagekit should take the following precautionary steps:

Conclusion

CVE-2023-41005 is a critical Remote Code Execution vulnerability in Pagekit v1..18 that, if exploited, could have severe consequences for website admins and users alike. Until a patch is issued to fix this vulnerability, it's crucial for Pagekit users to keep a watchful eye on their CMS instances and take necessary precautions to secure their systems.

Timeline

Published on: 08/28/2023 22:15:10 UTC
Last modified on: 08/30/2023 00:33:41 UTC