CVE-2023-22938 : Security Advisory and Response

This CVE-2023-22938 was published on February 14, 2023, by Splunk. It addresses a permissions validation failure in the 'sendemail' REST API endpoint in Splunk Enterprise.

Understanding CVE-2023-22938

This vulnerability impacts Splunk Enterprise versions below 8.1.13, 8.2.10, and 9.0.4, allowing any authenticated user to send an email as the Splunk instance via the 'sendemail' endpoint. The issue has been mitigated by restricting the endpoint to the 'splunk-system-user' account on the local instance.

What is CVE-2023-22938?

CVE-2023-22938 describes a permissions validation failure in the 'sendemail' REST API endpoint in Splunk Enterprise, potentially enabling unauthorized users to send emails as the Splunk instance.

The Impact of CVE-2023-22938

The impact of this CVE includes a medium base severity score of 4.3 out of 10. If exploited, an attacker could impersonate the Splunk instance to send emails, leading to potential misuse of the system.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-22938

This section outlines the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, as well as the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Splunk Enterprise versions below 8.1.13, 8.2.10, and 9.0.4 allows any authenticated user to send emails as the Splunk instance via the 'sendemail' REST API endpoint.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected products include Splunk Enterprise versions below 8.1.13, 8.2.10, and 9.0.4, as well as Splunk Cloud Platform versions less than 9.0.2212.

Exploitation Mechanism

By exploiting this vulnerability, an authenticated user could send emails as the Splunk instance, potentially leading to unauthorized access and misuse of the system.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2023-22938, users and organizations can take immediate steps to protect their systems, implement long-term security practices, and apply available patches and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Splunk Enterprise to versions 8.1.13, 8.2.10, or 9.0.4 to restrict the 'sendemail' REST API endpoint.
Implement least privilege access controls to limit user capabilities within Splunk.
Monitor and log API requests to detect any unauthorized use of the 'sendemail' endpoint.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and update access control configurations to prevent unauthorized actions.
Conduct security training for users to raise awareness about API endpoint misuse risks.
Stay informed about security advisories and best practices from Splunk to enhance system security posture.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely installation of security patches and updates released by Splunk to address known vulnerabilities and enhance the security of Splunk Enterprise and Splunk Cloud Platform.