CVE-2023-20091: Software Security Vulnerability Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-3jv8-hvr8-2qwh
Share
CVSS 5.1
CWE-61
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2023-20091 is a MODERATE (CVSS 5.1) security vulnerability vulnerability (CWE-61: UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following) affecting Software libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The weakness occurs when the product, when opening a file or directory, does not sufficiently account for when the file is a symbolic link that resolves to a target outside of the intended control sphere. this could allow an attacker to cause the product to operate on unauthorized files.. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2023-20091 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2023-20091
GHSA Identifier GHSA-3jv8-hvr8-2qwh
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 5.1
CWE Classification CWE-61: UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following
Affected Product Software
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 5.1

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L).

Attack Vector Local (AV:L)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required High (PR:H)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability Low (A:L)

How to Fix CVE-2023-20091

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Software dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2023-20091, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Software in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-61: UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following, where the product, when opening a file or directory, does not sufficiently account for when the file is a symbolic link that resolves to a target outside of the intended control sphere. this could allow an attacker to cause the product to operate on unauthorized files. In Software, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco TelePresence CE and RoomOS could allow an authenticated, local attacker to overwrite arbitrary files on the local file system of an affected device. This vulnerability is due to improper access controls on files that are on the local file system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by placing a symbolic link in a specific location on the local file system of an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to overwrite arbitrary files on the affected device. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need to have a remote support user account. Cisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability. There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability.

References

NVD — CVE-2023-20091 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20091
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-roomos-file-write-rHKwegKf

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-20091?
CVE-2023-20091 is a security vulnerability in Software classified as a security vulnerability vulnerability under CWE-61: UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following.
Which Software versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches.
What version fixes CVE-2023-20091?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2023-20091?
CVE-2023-20091 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.1 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2023-20091?
CVE-2023-20091 is classified under CWE-61: UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following (The product, when opening a file or directory, does not sufficiently account for when the file is a symbolic link that resolves to a target outside of the intended control sphere. This could allow an attacker to cause the product to operate on unauthorized files.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2023-20091?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-3jv8-hvr8-2qwh",
  "modified" : "2024-11-15T18:30:50Z",
  "published" : "2024-11-15T18:30:50Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2023-20091" ],
  "details" : "A vulnerability in the CLI of Cisco TelePresence CE and RoomOS could allow an authenticated, local attacker to overwrite arbitrary files on the local file system of an affected device.\n\nThis vulnerability is due to improper access controls on files that are on the local file system. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by placing a symbolic link in a specific location on the local file system of an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to overwrite arbitrary files on the affected device. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need to have a remote support user account.\nCisco has released software updates that address this vulnerability. There are no workarounds that address this vulnerability.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20091"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://sec.cloudapps.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-roomos-file-write-rHKwegKf"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-61" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : false,
    "github_reviewed_at" : null,
    "nvd_published_at" : "2024-11-15T16:15:25Z"
  }
}