CVE-2023-5847 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This CVE-2023-5847 was published by Tenable on November 1, 2023. It involves privilege escalation vulnerability in Windows and Linux hosts for certain versions of Nessus and Nessus Agent.

Understanding CVE-2023-5847

This vulnerability allows a low-privileged attacker to escalate privileges by loading a specially crafted file during installation or upgrade on Windows and Linux hosts.

What is CVE-2023-5847?

CVE-2023-5847 is a privilege escalation vulnerability that affects certain versions of Nessus and Nessus Agent. It can be exploited by a low-privileged attacker to escalate their privileges on Windows and Linux hosts.

The Impact of CVE-2023-5847

The impact of CVE-2023-5847 is classified as medium severity with a base score of 6.7. It can lead to high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-5847

This section provides more insight into the vulnerability itself, the affected systems and versions, as well as the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

Under specific conditions, the vulnerability allows a low-privileged attacker to load a specially crafted file during installation or upgrade, resulting in privilege escalation on Windows and Linux hosts.

Affected Systems and Versions

Nessus versions less than 10.6.2 and Nessus Agent versions less than 10.4.3 are impacted by CVE-2023-5847 on Windows and Linux platforms.

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploiting CVE-2023-5847 requires the attacker to execute a specific set of actions during installation or upgrade processes, enabling them to escalate their privileges on vulnerable systems.

Mitigation and Prevention

Mitigating CVE-2023-5847 involves implementing immediate steps to protect systems and establishing long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

System administrators are advised to update Nessus and Nessus Agent to the latest versions (10.6.2 and 10.4.3 or above, respectively) to mitigate the vulnerability. Additionally, monitoring system activities for suspicious behavior can help detect potential exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing the principle of least privilege, conducting regular security audits, and educating users on safe practices can enhance the overall security posture of organizations and prevent similar privilege escalation vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Regularly applying security patches and updates provided by the vendor is crucial to addressing known vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-5847 and ensuring the security of systems and sensitive data.