A newly discovered security vulnerability has been identified in Acronis Cyber Protect 16, which affects both Linux and Windows operating systems of the product before build 37391. The vulnerability, classified as CVE-2023-48681, is a self cross-site scripting (XSS) issue that has been found in the storage nodes search field. This article examines the details of the vulnerability, its potential impact, and the steps that should be taken to protect against it, including a link to the original references and a code snippet demonstrating the exploit.

Details

Self Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities occur when a web application allows an attacker to inject malicious scripts into an input field that is later executed in the victim's browser. In this case, the vulnerability lies in the search field that is provided in the storage nodes section of Acronis Cyber Protect 16, a cybersecurity and data protection software. When the user enters a malicious script in the search field, it is executed, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data, session hijacking or other harmful activities.

The following products have been confirmed to be affected by CVE-2023-48681

* Acronis Cyber Protect 16 (Linux)
* Acronis Cyber Protect 16 (Windows)

It is crucial to note that only versions of the product prior to build 37391 are affected by this vulnerability. In subsequent builds, Acronis has addressed this issue, and it is no longer present.

Exploit Details

The vulnerable search field can be exploited by crafting a malicious script that includes HTML and JavaScript code, which, when entered into the input field, is executed by the unsuspecting user's browser. An example of such a script is provided below:

<script>alert("XSS vulnerability exploited")</script>

When this code is entered into the storage nodes search field, it triggers an alert box with the text "XSS vulnerability exploited" in the user's browser. This simple example is a proof-of-concept demonstrating the exploit; however, an attacker could potentially develop more sophisticated scripts to execute more harmful actions.

Original References

For more information about this vulnerability, you can review the original references at the following links:

* CVE-2023-48681
* Acronis Cyber Protect 16 Release Notes

Remediation

To mitigate the impact of this vulnerability, it is strongly recommended to update Acronis Cyber Protect 16 to the latest available build, which is build 37391 or later. By doing so, users will be protected from the self cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the storage nodes search field.

You should also ensure that any other cybersecurity software you use continues to receive regular updates to provide the highest level of protection against potential threats.

Conclusion

The CVE-2023-48681 vulnerability in Acronis Cyber Protect 16 highlights the importance of regularly updating all software, including cybersecurity solutions, to protect against emerging threats. In this case, updating to the latest build prevents this specific self cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability from being exploited in the storage nodes search field. If you are using an affected version of Acronis Cyber Protect 16, take the necessary steps to update as soon as possible to ensure your system remains secure.

Timeline

Published on: 02/27/2024 17:15:10 UTC
Last modified on: 02/28/2024 14:07:00 UTC