A recent revelation unveils a critical command injection vulnerability in the widely used systeminformation npm package, leaving countless systems susceptible to potential remote code execution (RCE) and privilege escalation attacks. This vulnerability, designated as CVE-2024-56334, emphasizes the vital role of secure coding practices when handling untrusted user input.
The vulnerability is found within the getWindowsIEEE8021x function of the systeminformation package, specifically impacting versions ≤5.23.6. The underlying issue stems from the insufficient sanitization of the Wi-Fi SSID field, which is directly passed as a parameter to Windows’ cmd.exe. This flaw allows malicious actors to inject harmful payloads that can be executed as system commands, posing a significant security risk.
According to reports on GitHub, the flaw revolves around how the SSID is obtained and processed. The SSID is retrieved using the netsh wlan show interface command and then passed to cmd.exe /d /s /c “netsh wlan show profiles”. However, the SSID field is not appropriately sanitized before being passed to the command, enabling attackers to craft malicious SSID names that can trigger arbitrary commands on the victim’s system.
In a proof of concept scenario, an attacker can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious SSID, connecting to the nefarious network, and executing the exploit through the vulnerable function within the package. This exploit opens the gateway for executing arbitrary commands, ranging from running executables to creating continuous ping loops, showcasing the severity of the vulnerability.
To address this critical flaw, the author of the systeminformation package, sebhildebrandt, swiftly released a patched version (5.23.7) that implements proper sanitization to mitigate the vulnerability. It is crucial for developers relying on this package to promptly update to the patched version and secure their systems against potential exploitation.
The impact of this vulnerability cannot be understated, as it exposes systems to remote code execution and local privilege escalation threats. By injecting malicious commands through a manipulated Wi-Fi SSID, threat actors could potentially gain unauthorized access, exfiltrate sensitive data, or disrupt normal operations. The confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected systems are compromised, earning a CVSS v3 base score of 10.0 (High) due to the critical nature of the issue.
The security researcher @xAiluros played a crucial role in identifying and documenting this vulnerability, underscoring the collaborative nature of cybersecurity efforts. Developers must remain vigilant, proactively patch their systems, and stay abreast of potential security vulnerabilities to safeguard against exploitation. The rapid response from the package author demonstrates the importance of swift action in addressing critical security flaws to uphold system integrity and user trust.