CVE-2024-53244
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows low-privileged Splunk users to bypass command safeguards by tricking higher-privileged users into executing saved searches containing risky commands. It affects Splunk Enterprise versions below 9.3.2, 9.2.4, and 9.1.7, and Splunk Cloud Platform versions below specific builds. Exploitation requires social engineering to make an authenticated user initiate the malicious request.
💻 Affected Systems
- Splunk Enterprise
- Splunk Cloud Platform
📦 What is this software?
Splunk by Splunk
Splunk by Splunk
Splunk by Splunk
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Privilege escalation allowing low-privileged users to execute arbitrary risky commands with admin/power user permissions, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system compromise, or denial of service.
Likely Case
Limited privilege escalation within Splunk environment allowing unauthorized access to sensitive data or configuration changes, but requiring successful phishing of a higher-privileged user.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact if proper user awareness training and access controls are implemented, as exploitation requires social engineering of privileged users.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated low-privileged user, saved search creation with risky command, and successful phishing of higher-privileged user to initiate the request.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Splunk Enterprise: 9.3.2, 9.2.4, 9.1.7; Splunk Cloud Platform: 9.2.2406.107, 9.2.2403.109, 9.1.2312.206
Vendor Advisory: https://advisory.splunk.com/advisories/SVD-2024-1202
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Backup your Splunk configuration and data. 2. Download appropriate patch version from Splunk website. 3. Stop Splunk services. 4. Apply the patch following Splunk upgrade documentation. 5. Restart Splunk services. 6. Verify successful upgrade.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict saved search creation
allLimit ability to create saved searches to trusted users only
Implement user awareness training
allTrain users to avoid clicking on suspicious links or initiating unexpected searches
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict principle of least privilege for Splunk user roles
- Monitor and audit saved search creation and execution, particularly those containing risky commands
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Splunk version via web interface (Settings > Server Info) or CLI commandCheck Version:
splunk versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is at or above patched versions: 9.3.2, 9.2.4, or 9.1.7 for Enterprise; specific builds for Cloud Platform📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual saved search creation by low-privileged users
- Execution of saved searches containing risky commands
- Access to /en-US/app/search/report endpoint with suspicious parameters
Network Indicators:
- Unusual HTTP requests to search endpoints from authenticated users
SIEM Query:
index=_audit action=search savedsearch_name=* | search command=*risky* OR command=*dangerous* | stats count by user, savedsearch_name, command