CVE-2023-51651 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

AWS SDK for PHP is the Amazon Web Services software development kit for PHP. This CVE highlights a potential URI resolution path traversal vulnerability in the SDK, specifically affecting versions prior to 3.288.1. The vulnerability exists in the

buildEndpoint

method in the RestSerializer component, which could allow an attacker to access arbitrary objects. The issue arises when handling requests to S3 object keys and/or prefixes containing a Unix double-dot.

Understanding CVE-2023-51651

This section provides insights into the nature and impact of the CVE.

What is CVE-2023-51651?

The CVE-2023-51651 refers to the vulnerability discovered in the AWS SDK for PHP, allowing unauthorized access to arbitrary objects due to improper handling of the request path.

The Impact of CVE-2023-51651

The impact of this vulnerability is rated as MEDIUM severity based on CVSS v3.1 metrics. It poses a high risk to confidentiality and integrity as an attacker can exploit it with high privileges required.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-51651

In this section, we dive deeper into the technical aspects of the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises in the

buildEndpoint

method of the RestSerializer component in AWS SDK for PHP versions before 3.288.1, leading to a path traversal issue susceptible to unauthorized object access.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects AWS SDK for PHP versions >= 3.0.0 and < 3.288.1. Users of these versions are at risk of exploitation and unauthorized data access.

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by manipulating the request path, particularly while handling S3 object keys and prefixes containing a Unix double-dot, allowing an attacker to traverse directories and access unauthorized objects.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section outlines the steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of the CVE.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update their AWS SDK for PHP to version 3.288.1 or newer to address the path traversal vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and sanitization practices can help prevent such issues.

Long-Term Security Practices

To enhance long-term security, developers should regularly update their software libraries and SDKs to the latest versions to patch known vulnerabilities and improve the overall security posture.

Patching and Updates

AWS SDK for PHP version 3.288.1 contains the necessary patch to address the URI resolution path traversal vulnerability. Users should prioritize updating to this version or later to secure their applications and data.