CVE-2024-40641
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in Nuclei allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands without requiring the -code option, bypassing intended security controls. It affects web applications that inherit from Nuclei and allow users to edit and execute workflow files. The vulnerability enables remote code execution on affected systems.
💻 Affected Systems
- Nuclei
- Web applications inheriting from Nuclei
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise allowing attackers to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the Nuclei process, potentially leading to data theft, lateral movement, or complete system takeover.
Likely Case
Unauthorized command execution leading to information disclosure, system reconnaissance, or deployment of additional payloads.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper access controls and network segmentation, potentially only affecting isolated scanning environments.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires ability to edit workflow files in web applications using Nuclei. Standard CLI usage may not be directly exploitable.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 3.3.0
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/projectdiscovery/nuclei/security/advisories/GHSA-c3q9-c27p-cw9h
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Update Nuclei to version 3.3.0 or later using your package manager. 2. For web applications using Nuclei, update their dependencies to use Nuclei 3.3.0+. 3. Verify the update was successful by checking the version.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
No known workarounds
allThe vendor advisory states there are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict access to web applications that use Nuclei and allow workflow editing to trusted users only.
- Implement network segmentation to isolate Nuclei instances from critical systems and sensitive data.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if Nuclei version is below 3.3.0 using 'nuclei -version' command.Check Version:
nuclei -versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Nuclei version is 3.3.0 or higher using 'nuclei -version' command.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected command execution in Nuclei logs
- Workflow file modifications followed by execution
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from Nuclei instances
- Command and control traffic from scanning systems
SIEM Query:
Process execution where parent_process contains 'nuclei' AND command_line contains suspicious patterns like 'bash', 'powershell', 'cmd'