CVE-2023-49052
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to upload malicious files through Microweber's forms component, leading to arbitrary code execution. It affects Microweber CMS installations running version 2.0.4. Attackers can compromise the web server and potentially gain full control of the affected system.
💻 Affected Systems
- Microweber CMS
📦 What is this software?
Microweber by Microweber
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with attacker gaining shell access, installing backdoors, stealing data, and pivoting to internal networks.
Likely Case
Web server compromise leading to defacement, data theft, or deployment of web shells for persistent access.
If Mitigated
File uploads blocked or properly validated, limiting impact to denial of service if upload attempts occur.
🎯 Exploit Status
Public proof-of-concept code exists showing how to upload malicious PHP files. Exploitation requires no authentication.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Unknown
Vendor Advisory: Not available
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Check Microweber's official channels for security updates. 2. Upgrade to a patched version when available. 3. Apply workarounds immediately.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable file uploads in forms
allTemporarily disable file upload functionality in the created forms component
Web server file type restrictions
linuxConfigure web server to block execution of uploaded files in upload directories
# Apache: Add to .htaccess in upload directory
<FilesMatch "\.(php|php3|php4|php5|phtml|pl|cgi|exe|dll|bat|cmd|sh)$">
Order Deny,Allow
Deny from all
</FilesMatch>
# Nginx: Add to server block
location ~* ^/uploads/.*\.(php|php3|php4|php5|phtml|pl|cgi|exe|dll|bat|cmd|sh)$ {
deny all;
}
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict file upload validation (whitelist allowed extensions, verify file types)
- Move upload directory outside web root or configure to prevent execution
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if Microweber version is 2.0.4 and forms component allows file uploads. Test by attempting to upload a file with dangerous extension.Check Version:
Check Microweber configuration files or admin panel for version informationVerify Fix Applied:
Verify file upload restrictions are in place and test upload attempts with malicious files are blocked.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- File upload attempts with suspicious extensions (.php, .exe, etc.)
- Unusual POST requests to forms upload endpoints
- Files created in upload directories with executable extensions
Network Indicators:
- POST requests to /api/form/upload or similar endpoints with file uploads
- Traffic patterns showing file uploads followed by requests to uploaded files
SIEM Query:
source="web_logs" AND (uri_path="/api/form/upload" OR uri_path LIKE "%/uploads/%") AND (file_extension="php" OR file_extension="exe" OR file_extension="sh")