Summary: Splunk Add-on Builder, which is a widely used software tool for application development, has a potential security vulnerability in versions lower than 4.1.4. When developers create or edit custom applications using the tool, sensitive user session tokens are logged into internal log files. This poses a potential threat to user privacy and security.

Article

A recent vulnerability was uncovered in Splunk Add-on Builder versions lower than 4.1.4, wherein user session tokens are written to internal log files every time a user visits the Splunk Add-on Builder or builds or edits a custom application or add-on. The vulnerability has been assigned CVE-2023-46231 and poses a potential risk to user privacy and security.

Splunk Add-on Builder is a popular tool that assists developers in creating custom applications and add-ons for the Splunk platform. The vulnerability can give unauthorized users access to sensitive user information and compromise the overall system security.

Code snippet demonstration

The following sample Python code snippet demonstrates how session tokens are written to internal log files, highlighting the vulnerability present in the affected versions:

import logging

def log_user_session(session_id):
    logging.basicConfig(filename='splunk-addon-builder.log', level=logging.DEBUG)
    logging.debug(f'User session ID: {session_id}')

def build_app(addon_name, session_id):
    log_user_session(session_id)
    # The rest of the app building process ...

This sample code shows that when the build_app function is called to build a custom app, the user session ID is logged to the specified log file, which in this case is splunk-addon-builder.log.

The vulnerability was documented by organizations and experts in the cybersecurity community. Below are some of the original references where you can find more information about this issue:

1. Splunk Security Advisory: You can find the official advisory from Splunk, detailing the security vulnerability present in Splunk Add-on Builder and the recommended mitigation steps.
2. National Vulnerability Database (NVD) description: The NVD offers a comprehensive documentation of the vulnerability, as well as information related to CVE-2023-46231.
3. Security researcher's blog post revealing the vulnerability: A detailed blog post from a security researcher discussing the vulnerability found in Splunk Add-on Builder and potential risks associated with this issue.

Exploit details

In the affected Splunk Add-on Builder versions, user session tokens are logged to internal log files, creating a window of opportunity for an attacker to access these log files and potentially compromise the system. With the session tokens in hand, the attacker can potentially access various user accounts, including high-privileged users, and execute malicious actions.

Furthermore, accumulated session tokens make it easier for unauthorized users to perform various illicit activities in the add-on environment without raising suspicion, as they can use the valid session tokens to bypass various authentication mechanisms that ensure user-level security.

Mitigation and recommendations

Splunk has already patched the issue in Splunk Add-on Builder version 4.1.4, which does not log user session tokens to internal log files. As a precaution, Splunk recommends users to take the following steps:

Update to Splunk Add-on Builder version 4.1.4 or higher to eradicate the vulnerability.

- Review log files in older versions of Splunk Add-on Builder and delete any documented session tokens.
- Regularly patch and update your software to ensure system security and protection against known vulnerabilities.

In conclusion, CVE-2023-46231 highlights a security vulnerability within Splunk Add-on Builder that could potentially compromise user privacy and security by logging sensitive session tokens into internal log files. Users are advised to update to version 4.1.4 or higher and remain vigilant in regularly updating their software to protect against such vulnerabilities.

Timeline

Published on: 01/30/2024 17:15:10 UTC
Last modified on: 02/05/2024 20:59:05 UTC