CVE-2023-5967 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This CVE-2023-5967 was assigned by Mattermost and published on November 6, 2023. The vulnerability affects Mattermost versions 7.8.11 and earlier, impacting the Calls plugin component. The vulnerability allows an attacker to crash the Calls plugin by sending a request without a User Agent header.

Understanding CVE-2023-5967

This section delves into the details of the CVE-2023-5967 vulnerability, its impact, technical description, affected systems, exploitation mechanism, and mitigation strategies.

What is CVE-2023-5967?

CVE-2023-5967 is a vulnerability in Mattermost that arises from a failure to properly validate requests to the Calls plugin. This oversight enables an attacker to induce a panic and crash the Calls plugin by sending a request without a User Agent header.

The Impact of CVE-2023-5967

The impact of this vulnerability is deemed as medium severity with a CVSS base score of 4.3. Although the confidentiality and integrity of the system are not compromised, the availability is affected, potentially leading to a denial of service.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-5967

This section covers the technical aspects of the vulnerability, including its description, affected systems, and exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Mattermost stems from the inadequate validation of requests to the Calls plugin, allowing an attacker to crash the plugin by sending a request without a User Agent header.

Affected Systems and Versions

Mattermost versions 7.8.11, 8.0.3, and 8.1.2 and earlier are affected by this vulnerability, specifically impacting the Calls plugin component.

Exploitation Mechanism

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted request to the Calls plugin without a User Agent header, triggering a panic and crashing the plugin.

Mitigation and Prevention

To safeguard systems from CVE-2023-5967, immediate steps, long-term security practices, and patching recommendations can be implemented.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Mattermost Server to versions 7.8.12, 8.0.4, 8.1.3, or higher to mitigate the vulnerability. Alternatively, upgrading the Calls plugin to version 0.17.1 or higher can also address the issue.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement secure coding practices, periodic security audits, and employee security awareness training to enhance overall system security and reduce the risk of similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Regularly apply security patches and updates provided by Mattermost to ensure that the latest security measures are in place and vulnerabilities are addressed promptly.