CVE-2023-20864: VMware Aria Operations for Logs Deserialization Vulnerability
VMware issues advisory to address two flaws in its VMware Aria Operations for Logs solution, including a critical deserialization flaw assigned a CVSSv3 score of 9.8.
Background
On April 20, VMware published an advisory (VMSA-2023-0007) to address two vulnerabilities in VMware Aria Operations for Logs, formerly known as vRealize Log Insight, a centralized log management solution.
| CVE | Description | CVSSv3 | VPR* |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2023-20864 | Deserialization Vulnerability in VMware Aria Operations for Logs | 9.8 | 8.4 |
| CVE-2023-20865 | OS Command Injection in VMware Aria Operations for Logs | 7.2 | 8.4 |
*Please note: Tenable’s Vulnerability Priority Rating (VPR) scores are calculated nightly. This blog post was published on April 21 and reflects VPR at that time.
Both flaws were reported to VMware prior to the advisory being published. CVE-2023-20864 was disclosed by anonymous via Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative, while CVE-2023-20865 was disclosed by researchers Y4er & MoonBack of 埃文科技.
Analysis
CVE-2023-20864 is a deserialization vulnerability in VMware Aria Operations for Logs. An unauthenticated, remote attacker capable of accessing VMware Aria Operations for Logs could exploit this vulnerability in order to gain arbitrary code execution with root privileges.
CVE-2023-20865 is an operating system (OS) command injection vulnerability in VMware Aria Operations for Logs. An attacker that has authenticated to a vulnerable VMware Aria Operations for Logs instance with administrative privileges could exploit this vulnerability to gain arbitrary code execution with root privileges.
VMware urges patching ‘immediately’ for CVE-2023-20864
In a knowledge base (KB) article, VMware provided additional information regarding VMSA-2023-0007. According to VMware, since CVE-2023-20864 is a “critical issue” it “should be patched immediately.”
Impact from CVE-2023-20864 limited to one version of product
In the same KB article, VMware notes that CVE-2023-20864 only affects VMware Aria Operations for Logs version 8.10.2, while multiple versions of the product are vulnerable to CVE-2023-20865. However, despite the broader scope of affected products, the requirements to exploit CVE-2023-20865 (authenticated with admin privileges) make it less of a concern.
Second significant advisory for VMware Aria Operations for Logs in 2023
In January, VMware published an advisory (VMSA-2023-0001) addressing four vulnerabilities in vRealize Log Insight, the former name for VMware Aria Operations for Logs. In this January advisory, a different deserialization vulnerability (CVE-2022-31710) was patched along with a critical directory traversal flaw (CVE-2022-31706). Researchers on the Horizon3 Attack Team published a proof-of-concept for CVE-2022-31706 within a week following the publication of the advisory.
Potential value for flaw as part of post-compromise activity
Because of the nature of the VMware Aria Operations for Logs product not being a public facing asset, we do not anticipate seeing widespread exploitation of this flaw. However, an attacker that gains a foothold into a network running a vulnerable version of VMware Aria Operations for Logs could utilize a flaw like this one as part of their post-compromise activity.
Proof of concept
At the time this blog post was published, no proof-of-concept (PoC) exploits were available for either CVE-2023-20864 and CVE-2023-20865.
Solution
VMware has released version 8.12 of VMware Aria Operations for Logs to address these flaws. The following table includes information on affected and fixed versions along with applicable CVEs.
| Applicable CVE | Affected Versions | Fixed Versions |
|---|---|---|
| CVE-2023-20864 | 8.10.2 | 8.12 |
| CVE-2023-20865 | 8.10.2, 8.10, 8.8.x, 8.6.x | 8.12 |
Identifying affected systems
A list of Tenable plugins to identify these vulnerabilities will appear here as they’re released. This link uses a search filter to ensure that all matching plugin coverage will appear as it is released.
Customers can also check the status of these plugins on our Plugins Pipeline page.
Get more information
- VMware Security Advisory: VMSA-2023-0007
- VMware Knowledge Base Article for CVE-2023-20864, CVE-2023-20865
Join Tenable's Security Response Team on the Tenable Community.
Learn more about https://www.tenable.com/products/tenable-one">Tenable One, the Exposure Management Platform for the modern attack surface.
Related Articles
Context Is King: From Vulnerability Management to Exposure Management
November 7, 2024Vulnerability management remains a cornerstone of preventive cybersecurity, but organizations still struggle with vulnerability overload and sophisticated threats. Tenable’s new Exposure Signals gives security teams comprehensive context, so they can shift from vulnerability management to exposure management and effectively prioritize high-risk exposures across their complex attack surface.
FY 2024 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program Adds CISA KEV as a Performance Measure
October 31, 2024The CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog and enhanced logging guidelines are among the new measurement tools added for the 2024 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program.
Cybersecurity Snapshot: New Guides Offer Best Practices for Preventing Shadow AI and for Deploying Secure Software Updates
October 25, 2024Looking for help with shadow AI? Want to boost your software updates’ safety? New publications offer valuable tips. Plus, learn why GenAI and data security have become top drivers of cyber strategies. And get the latest on the top “no-nos” for software security; the EU’s new cyber law; and CISOs’ communications with boards.
Cybersecurity Snapshot: CISA Warns of Global Spear-Phishing Threat, While OWASP Releases AI Security Resources
November 8, 2024CISA is warning about a spear-phishing campaign that spreads malicious RDP files. Plus, OWASP is offering guidance about deepfakes and AI security. Meanwhile, cybercriminals have amplified their use of malware for fake software-update attacks. And get the latest on CISA’s international plan, Interpol’s cyber crackdown and ransomware trends.
Context Is King: From Vulnerability Management to Exposure Management
November 7, 2024Vulnerability management remains a cornerstone of preventive cybersecurity, but organizations still struggle with vulnerability overload and sophisticated threats. Tenable’s new Exposure Signals gives security teams comprehensive context, so they can shift from vulnerability management to exposure management and effectively prioritize high-risk exposures across their complex attack surface.
Securing Financial Data in the Cloud: How Tenable Can Help
November 4, 2024Preventing data loss, complying with regulations, automating workflows and managing access are four key challenges facing financial institutions. Learn how Tenable can help.
- Exposure Management
- Risk-based Vulnerability Management