CVE-2023-45132 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This article provides detailed information about CVE-2023-45132, a security vulnerability impacting the NAXSI web application firewall (WAF) for NGINX.

Understanding CVE-2023-45132

This CVE highlights a critical issue in the NAXSI WAF, affecting versions 1.3 to 1.6, that allows bypassing of the WAF under specific conditions.

What is CVE-2023-45132?

NAXSI is an open-source web application firewall for NGINX. The vulnerability allows malicious

X-Forwarded-For

IPs to bypass the WAF when they match

IgnoreIP

IgnoreCIDR

rules.

The Impact of CVE-2023-45132

The vulnerability poses a critical threat as it can lead to a breach in confidentiality with a CVSS base score of 9.1 out of 10.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-45132

This section delves into the specific technical details of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue allows attackers to evade NAXSI WAF protections by exploiting a flaw in the handling of

X-Forwarded-For

IPs against

IgnoreIP

and

IgnoreCIDR

rules.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects NAXSI versions from 1.3 to 1.6, exposing systems with older NGINX versions to potential bypass attacks.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can craft malicious requests with specific

X-Forwarded-For

headers to match ignore rules and bypass NAXSI protections.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section outlines steps to mitigate the CVE-2023-45132 vulnerability and prevent potential exploitation.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade NAXSI to version 1.6 or above to patch the vulnerability. Avoid setting

IgnoreIP

and

IgnoreCIDR

rules in older versions as a temporary workaround.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update NAXSI and NGINX to the latest versions to ensure protection against known vulnerabilities and security threats.

Patching and Updates

Monitor security advisories and apply patches promptly to address security issues and protect systems from exploitation.