CVE-2025-20324
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows low-privileged Splunk users without admin or power roles to create or overwrite system source type configurations via a crafted REST API request. It affects Splunk Enterprise versions below 9.4.2, 9.3.5, 9.2.7, and 9.1.10, and Splunk Cloud Platform versions below specific builds.
💻 Affected Systems
- Splunk Enterprise
- Splunk Cloud Platform
📦 What is this software?
Splunk by Splunk
Splunk by Splunk
Splunk by Splunk
Splunk by Splunk
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
An attacker could manipulate source type configurations to disrupt data ingestion, cause data parsing errors, or potentially enable data exfiltration through misconfigured parsing.
Likely Case
Low-privileged users could modify source type configurations, potentially causing data parsing issues or minor system misconfigurations.
If Mitigated
With proper role-based access controls and network segmentation, impact is limited to authorized low-privileged users making configuration changes.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated access and knowledge of the REST endpoint structure.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Splunk Enterprise: 9.4.2, 9.3.5, 9.2.7, 9.1.10; Splunk Cloud Platform: 9.3.2411.104, 9.3.2408.113, 9.2.2406.119
Vendor Advisory: https://advisory.splunk.com/advisories/SVD-2025-0707
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download appropriate patch version from Splunk downloads portal. 2. Backup current installation. 3. Stop Splunk services. 4. Apply patch/upgrade. 5. Restart Splunk services. 6. Verify version and functionality.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict REST endpoint access
linuxConfigure firewall rules or web server configurations to restrict access to the vulnerable REST endpoint.
# Example iptables rule to restrict access to management port
# iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8089 -s trusted_network -j ACCEPT
# iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8089 -j DROP
Review and restrict user permissions
allAudit and minimize low-privileged user accounts with access to Splunk management interfaces.
# Review Splunk user roles and permissions
# splunk list user -auth admin:changeme
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement network segmentation to restrict access to Splunk management port (default 8089) to trusted administrative networks only.
- Regularly audit source type configurations and user activity logs for unauthorized changes.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Splunk version via web interface (Settings > Server Info) or CLI command: splunk versionCheck Version:
splunk versionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify version is at or above patched versions: splunk version | grep -E '9\.(4\.2|3\.5|2\.7|1\.10)'📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual POST requests to /servicesNS/nobody/search/admin/sourcetypes/ endpoint
- Unexpected modifications to source type configurations in audit logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual traffic to Splunk management port (default 8089) from non-admin users
SIEM Query:
index=_audit sourcetype=splunkd_access (uri="/servicesNS/nobody/search/admin/sourcetypes/*" OR uri="/servicesNS/*/search/admin/sourcetypes/*") | stats count by user, clientip