CVE-2023-26268 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Apache CouchDB and IBM Cloudant. This vulnerability allows design documents with matching document IDs from databases in the same cluster to share a mutable JavaScript environment when using specific functions.
The functions impacted include: validate_doc_update, list, filter, filter views, rewrite, and update. The vulnerability does not affect map/reduce or search index functions.
Risk to organizations includes unauthorized information sharing, which could lead to data leakage or unintended data manipulation. Organizations should prioritize patching immediately.
Users are recommended to upgrade to Apache CouchDB versions 3.3.2 or 3.2.3 to mitigate this vulnerability. As a temporary workaround, it is advised to avoid using design documents from untrusted sources.
The vulnerability was published on May 2, 2023, and has been modified since. Organizations utilizing affected versions should act promptly to remediate this issue.
The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 4.4, indicating medium severity, with an attack vector classified as network and a high complexity level.
Vulnerability Details
This vulnerability allows design documents with matching document IDs from databases on the same cluster to share a mutable JavaScript environment when using specific design document functions such as validate_doc_update, list, filter, filter views, rewrite, and update. It does not affect map/reduce or search index functions.
The CVSS score of 4.4 suggests a medium severity, with a potential for lower confidentiality and integrity impacts. The attack vector is classified as network-based with a high complexity requirement and low privileges required.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of CVE-2023-26268 lies in the design of CouchDB and Cloudant, where certain document functions may inadvertently share a JavaScript environment across design documents, leading to potential information leakage.
The attack vector is network-based, which means that an attacker could exploit this vulnerability remotely. The complexity of the attack is high, requiring an understanding of the CouchDB architecture and how design documents are processed.
Low privileges are required to exploit this vulnerability, and user interaction is necessary, as the attacker would need to trick a user into executing malicious design documents.
The confidentiality impact is low, as the information that could be leaked is likely limited in scope. The integrity impact is also low, meaning that the data integrity would not necessarily be compromised.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Organizations using Apache CouchDB or IBM Cloudant need to be aware of the real-world risks associated with CVE-2023-26268. The potential for unauthorized information sharing between design documents creates a significant security concern.
The blast radius of this vulnerability can be extensive, especially in environments where multiple databases are hosted within the same cluster. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to gain access to sensitive information that should remain isolated.
Given the medium CVSS score of 4.4, organizations should address this vulnerability in their priority patch cycle. The urgency for remediation is high, and organizations must ensure that they are running updated versions of affected software.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The following versions are affected by this vulnerability: Apache CouchDB versions prior to 3.2.3 and versions from 3.3.0 to 3.3.2, as well as IBM Cloudant up to version 8349.
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should upgrade to Apache CouchDB versions 3.3.2 or 3.2.3 to address this vulnerability. In case patching is not immediately feasible, avoid using design documents from untrusted sources that may cache or store data in the shared JavaScript environment.
For more information on securing your environment, organizations can refer to the penetration testing services that can identify similar vulnerabilities.
Detection Guidance
Organizations should monitor their logs for indicators of unauthorized access attempts or unusual behavior in the JavaScript environment. Behavioral anomalies related to document function execution should also be scrutinized.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2023-26268 highlights the need for secure design practices in application development. Organizations must be aware of potential vulnerabilities that arise from shared environments, especially when dealing with untrusted data sources.
This vulnerability reinforces the necessity for regular security assessments, such as vulnerability management programs and continuous monitoring of application environments.
In conclusion, organizations should not only address the immediate risks posed by this vulnerability but also evaluate their overall security strategies to prevent similar issues in the future.
For further reading on securing applications against similar vulnerabilities, organizations can explore our insights on API security testing and other relevant topics.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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