CVE-2023-37649
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows unauthorized attackers to access sensitive data through incorrect access control in Cockpit CMS's Content component. It affects all users running Cockpit CMS v2.5.2 or earlier versions with the vulnerable component. Attackers can exploit this without authentication to view protected content.
💻 Affected Systems
- Cockpit CMS
📦 What is this software?
Cockpit by Agentejo
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete exposure of all sensitive content managed by Cockpit CMS, including private documents, user data, and confidential information stored in the content management system.
Likely Case
Unauthorized access to sensitive content and data stored in the CMS, potentially leading to data breaches and privacy violations.
If Mitigated
Limited or no data exposure if proper network segmentation, authentication layers, or access controls are implemented independently of the vulnerable component.
🎯 Exploit Status
The vulnerability requires no authentication and has publicly available proof-of-concept details. Exploitation is straightforward.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: v2.6.0
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/Cockpit-HQ/Cockpit/releases/tag/2.6.0
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Backup your current Cockpit CMS installation and database. 2. Download Cockpit CMS v2.6.0 from the official GitHub releases. 3. Replace the existing installation files with the new version. 4. Restart your web server to apply the changes.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Content Component
allTemporarily disable the vulnerable /models/Content component if not essential
# Modify Cockpit configuration to disable Content component
# Edit config/config.yaml and remove or comment Content component references
Network Access Restriction
linuxRestrict network access to Cockpit CMS administration interface
# Example iptables rule to restrict access
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -s trusted_ip_range -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -j DROP
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to block unauthorized access to /models/Content endpoints
- Add additional authentication layer in front of Cockpit CMS using reverse proxy with authentication
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if your Cockpit CMS version is 2.5.2 or earlier by examining the version file or admin interfaceCheck Version:
grep -r 'version' cockpit/config/version.php || cat cockpit/package.json | grep versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify installation shows version 2.6.0 or later and test that unauthorized access to /models/Content endpoints is properly blocked📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unauthorized access attempts to /models/Content endpoints
- Multiple failed authentication attempts followed by successful content access
Network Indicators:
- Unusual traffic patterns to /models/Content from unauthenticated sources
- Data exfiltration from content endpoints
SIEM Query:
source="web_server_logs" AND (uri="/models/Content" OR uri="/api/models/Content") AND status=200 AND user="-"