CVE-2023-22464 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

This CVE, assigned CVE-2023-22464, involves a cross-site scripting vulnerability in ViewVC that affects versions of the software prior to 1.2.3 and 1.1.30. In this article, we will discuss the details of CVE-2023-22464, its impact, technical aspects, and how to mitigate and prevent such vulnerabilities.

Understanding CVE-2023-22464

This section will cover what CVE-2023-22464 is, its impact, and the technical details of the vulnerability.

What is CVE-2023-22464?

ViewVC, a browser interface for CVS and Subversion version control repositories, is susceptible to cross-site scripting in versions before 1.2.3 and 1.1.30. This vulnerability requires an attacker to have commit privileges to a Subversion repository exposed by ViewVC. The attack vector involves files with unsafe names that can be challenging to create.

The Impact of CVE-2023-22464

The impact of this vulnerability is mitigated by the need for attacker commit privileges and the difficulty in creating files with unsafe names. Users are advised to update to at least version 1.2.3 or 1.1.30, depending on their current version of ViewVC.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-22464

In this section, we will delve into the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

CVE-2023-22464 involves improper neutralization of script-related HTML tags in a web page, leading to cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in ViewVC.

Affected Systems and Versions

ViewVC versions prior to 1.2.3 and 1.1.30 are affected by this vulnerability. Specifically, versions < 1.1.30 and >= 1.2.0, < 1.2.3 are vulnerable.

Exploitation Mechanism

The attack vector revolves around files with unsafe names that could execute unwanted code when embedded into an HTML stream. This exploit requires the attacker to have commit privileges to a Subversion repository exposed by ViewVC.

Mitigation and Prevention

In this final section, we will discuss the immediate steps to take, long-term security practices, and the importance of patching and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users of vulnerable versions should update to at least version 1.2.3 or 1.1.30 to mitigate the risk of cross-site scripting attacks. Additionally, implementing workarounds such as editing ViewVC EZT view templates can help mitigate the vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

To enhance security, users should regularly update software, follow secure coding practices, and restrict privileges to minimize the impact of potential vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-22464.

Patching and Updates

ViewVC has released patches in versions 1.2.3 and 1.1.30 to address the cross-site scripting vulnerability. It is crucial for users to stay informed about security updates and promptly apply patches to protect their systems from exploitation.