Authenticated command execution via sequential placeholder replacement
Published Mar 3, 2023 · Updated Mar 7, 2025
OS command injection in Barracuda CloudGen WAN Private Edge Gateway 8.3.1 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands. The /ajax/update_certificate handler passes attacker-controlled name and password values to BN_Shell::exec, whose sequential string replacement replaces a placeholder inserted through the name with shell metacharacters from the password. Administration-interface access and a valid session are required; successful exploitation executes commands as the www-data account, enabling data access and service disruption within that account's permissions.
Summary
What happened
OS command injection in Barracuda CloudGen WAN Private Edge Gateway 8.3.1 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary commands. The /ajax/update_certificate handler passes attacker-controlled name and password values to BN_Shell::exec, whose sequential string replacement replaces a placeholder inserted through the name with shell metacharacters from the password. Administration-interface access and a valid session are required; successful exploitation executes commands as the www-data account, enabling data access and service disruption within that account's permissions.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-26213
- Published
- Mar 3, 2023
- Updated
- Mar 7, 2025
- Vendor
- Unknown vendor
- Product
- Unknown product
- Classifications
- CWE-78, T1059.004
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 3, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Mar 7, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- SEC Consult crafted update_certificate requestfunctional · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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