CVE-2023-1516
📋 TL;DR
RoboDK versions 5.5.3 and prior have insecure directory permissions that allow local users to write files to the RoboDK process. This enables privilege escalation and potential code execution. Only users with local access to systems running vulnerable RoboDK versions are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- RoboDK
📦 What is this software?
Robodk by Robodk
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Local attacker gains full system control through privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution as RoboDK process.
Likely Case
Malicious local user or malware elevates privileges to compromise the RoboDK application and potentially the host system.
If Mitigated
Attack limited to RoboDK application compromise if proper access controls and least privilege are enforced.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access but is straightforward once access is obtained. No public exploit code identified.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 5.5.4 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://robodk.com/contact
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download latest RoboDK version from official website. 2. Install update over existing installation. 3. Restart RoboDK application. 4. Verify version is 5.5.4 or higher.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict directory permissions
allManually adjust permissions on RoboDK directories to prevent unauthorized writes
Windows: icacls "C:\Program Files\RoboDK" /deny Users:(OI)(CI)W
Linux: chmod 755 /opt/robodk
macOS: chmod 755 /Applications/RoboDK.app
Run with least privilege
allConfigure RoboDK to run with minimal necessary permissions
Windows: Create dedicated service account with limited privileges
Linux: Run as non-root user with restricted permissions
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate RoboDK systems from general user access and restrict to authorized personnel only.
- Implement strict access controls and monitoring on systems running vulnerable RoboDK versions.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check RoboDK version via Help > About in application or examine installation directory version files.Check Version:
Windows: reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\RoboDK" /v Version || Linux: cat /opt/robodk/version.txt || macOS: defaults read /Applications/RoboDK.app/Contents/Info.plist CFBundleShortVersionStringVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm version is 5.5.4 or later in Help > About menu. Verify directory permissions are properly restricted.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unauthorized file writes to RoboDK directories
- Permission change events on RoboDK folders
- Process creation from RoboDK with unusual parent processes
Network Indicators:
- None - this is a local privilege escalation vulnerability
SIEM Query:
EventID=4663 OR EventID=4670 AND TargetObject:*RoboDK* (Windows) OR audit.log entries with path containing 'robodk' (Linux)