CVE-2023-35809
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a Bean Manipulation vulnerability in SugarCRM's REST API that allows authenticated users to inject custom PHP code through crafted requests due to missing input validation. It affects SugarCRM Enterprise before 11.0.6 and 12.x before 12.0.3, with other editions also vulnerable. Attackers with regular user privileges can exploit this to execute arbitrary code on the server.
💻 Affected Systems
- SugarCRM Enterprise
- SugarCRM other editions
📦 What is this software?
Sugarcrm by Sugarcrm
Sugarcrm by Sugarcrm
Sugarcrm by Sugarcrm
Sugarcrm by Sugarcrm
Sugarcrm by Sugarcrm
Sugarcrm by Sugarcrm
Sugarcrm by Sugarcrm
Sugarcrm by Sugarcrm
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full server compromise leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or complete system takeover via remote code execution.
Likely Case
Unauthorized data access, privilege escalation, and lateral movement within the SugarCRM environment.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper network segmentation, least privilege access, and input validation are implemented.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploit details and proof-of-concept code are publicly available. Attack requires valid user credentials but no special privileges.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Enterprise 11.0.6, 12.0.3
Vendor Advisory: https://support.sugarcrm.com/Resources/Security/sugarcrm-sa-2023-007/
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Backup your SugarCRM instance and database. 2. Download the appropriate patch from SugarCRM support portal. 3. Apply the patch following SugarCRM's upgrade documentation. 4. Restart the web server and SugarCRM services. 5. Verify the patch was successfully applied.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict REST API Access
allTemporarily block or restrict access to the REST API endpoints until patching can be completed.
# Configure web server (Apache example)
# In .htaccess or virtual host config:
<LocationMatch "^/rest/v\d+">
Order deny,allow
Deny from all
Allow from trusted_ips
</LocationMatch>
# Nginx example
location ~ ^/rest/v\d+ {
deny all;
allow trusted_ips;
}
Implement Web Application Firewall Rules
allAdd WAF rules to detect and block suspicious REST API requests containing PHP code patterns.
# Example ModSecurity rule
SecRule REQUEST_URI "@rx ^/rest/v\d+" \
"id:1001,phase:2,deny,status:403,msg:'Potential CVE-2023-35809 exploitation attempt'"
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation to isolate SugarCRM instances from critical systems
- Enforce least privilege access controls and regularly audit user accounts for suspicious activity
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check SugarCRM version via Admin panel or by examining version files in installation directory. Versions Enterprise <11.0.6 or 12.x <12.0.3 are vulnerable.Check Version:
# Check version from SugarCRM admin interface or
# Examine sugar_version.php in installation directory
grep "sugar_version" /path/to/sugarcrm/sugar_version.phpVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is Enterprise 11.0.6+ or 12.0.3+ and test REST API endpoints for code injection attempts.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual REST API requests with PHP code patterns
- Multiple failed authentication attempts followed by successful REST API access
- Unexpected process execution from web server user
Network Indicators:
- Suspicious POST requests to /rest/v* endpoints containing eval(), system(), or other PHP functions
- Outbound connections from SugarCRM server to unknown external IPs
SIEM Query:
source="sugarcrm_logs" AND (uri="/rest/v*" AND (message="*eval*" OR message="*system*" OR message="*shell_exec*"))🔗 References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174301/SugarCRM-12.2.0-Bean-Manipulation.html
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2023/Aug/27
- https://support.sugarcrm.com/Resources/Security/sugarcrm-sa-2023-007/
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/174301/SugarCRM-12.2.0-Bean-Manipulation.html
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2023/Aug/27
- https://support.sugarcrm.com/Resources/Security/sugarcrm-sa-2023-007/
