CVE-2023-49897: OS Command Injection Vulnerability in AE1021PE and AE1021 Firmware Versions 2..9 and Earlier

An OS command injection vulnerability has been discovered in popular firmware versions AE1021PE 2..9 and earlier, as well as AE1021 firmware version 2..9 and earlier. This vulnerability, registered as CVE-2023-49897, can potentially allow an attacker with login access to the product to execute arbitrary OS commands.

Vulnerability Details

The OS command injection vulnerability found in these firmware versions gives an attacker the ability to execute arbitrary and potentially malicious commands on the target system. This might lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information or even full takeover of the compromised system.

Exploit Concepts

OS command injection attacks take place when an attacker is able to insert specific payloads into an application input field that ultimately gets executed on the operating system. This can happen when applications fail to properly validate user input or when they concatenate input with command strings prior to execution.

Let's take a look at an example of a vulnerable command that might exist in the affected firmware

def run_system_command(user_input):
    os_command = "cat log/" + user_input + ".log"
    os.system(os_command)

In this example, the function run_system_command takes a user input, concatenates it with the os_command string, and then executes it on the operating system. If the user_input is not properly validated, it might allow an attacker to inject OS commands, like:

user_input = "file; rm -rf /"

This would result in executing os_command = "cat log/file; rm -rf /.log". As a result, the entire system could be wiped along with the files in the log directory.

Proof of Concept & Exploit Details

Original CVE report and references

Steps to Exploit

1. Identify the target system running AE1021PE firmware version 2..9 and earlier or AE1021 firmware version 2..9 and earlier.

Consider using an intrusion prevention system (IPS) to prevent command injection attacks.

Furthermore, system administrators and developers should always stay informed about newly published vulnerabilities and apply security patches promptly. Keeping a proactive approach to security can help avoid potential risks and maintain a robust security posture.

Timeline

Published on: 12/06/2023 07:15:41 UTC
Last modified on: 12/22/2023 04:15:09 UTC