CVE-2022-23992: Broadcom Xcom Data Transport RCE Flaw

CVE-2022-23992 Overview

CVE-2022-23992 is a critical command injection vulnerability affecting Broadcom XCOM Data Transport for Windows, Linux, and UNIX version 11.6. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation that could potentially allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges on affected systems.

XCOM Data Transport is a widely deployed enterprise file transfer solution used by organizations to manage secure data exchange between systems. This vulnerability poses significant risk to enterprise environments relying on this software for critical file transfer operations.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit insufficient input validation to execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges, potentially leading to complete system compromise without requiring authentication or user interaction.

Affected Products

• Broadcom XCOM Data Transport 11.6 for Windows
• Broadcom XCOM Data Transport 11.6 for Linux
• Broadcom XCOM Data Transport 11.6 for UNIX

Discovery Timeline

• 2022-02-14 - CVE-2022-23992 published to NVD
• 2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2022-23992

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation), indicating that the affected software fails to properly validate or sanitize user-supplied input before processing it. In the context of XCOM Data Transport, this insufficient validation allows malicious input to be interpreted as system commands rather than data.

The attack can be launched remotely over the network without requiring any prior authentication or user interaction. Successful exploitation grants attackers the ability to execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges, potentially resulting in full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2022-23992 lies in improper input validation within the XCOM Data Transport application. The software fails to adequately sanitize or validate user-controlled input before passing it to system command execution functions. This lack of proper input handling creates an injection point where attackers can insert malicious command sequences that are subsequently executed by the underlying operating system with elevated privileges.

Attack Vector

The vulnerability is exploitable via network-based attacks. An unauthenticated remote attacker can craft specially crafted input that, when processed by the vulnerable XCOM Data Transport service, results in the execution of arbitrary system commands. The attack complexity is low, meaning no specialized conditions or elaborate preparation are required for successful exploitation.

The attack flow typically involves:

1. Identifying an exposed XCOM Data Transport service on the network
2. Crafting malicious input containing embedded command sequences
3. Sending the malicious payload to the vulnerable service
4. The service processes the input without proper validation
5. Embedded commands are executed with elevated privileges on the target system

Detection Methods for CVE-2022-23992

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual process spawning from XCOM Data Transport service processes
• Unexpected command execution activity originating from file transfer operations
• Anomalous network connections from systems running XCOM Data Transport
• Suspicious log entries indicating malformed or unusual input to the service

Detection Strategies

• Monitor XCOM Data Transport service logs for anomalous input patterns or error messages indicating injection attempts
• Implement network intrusion detection signatures for command injection patterns targeting file transfer protocols
• Deploy endpoint detection rules to identify suspicious child processes spawned by XCOM Data Transport executables
• Conduct regular vulnerability scanning to identify unpatched XCOM Data Transport installations

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for XCOM Data Transport services and forward logs to a SIEM solution
• Monitor for unusual privilege escalation events on systems running the affected software
• Implement file integrity monitoring on XCOM Data Transport configuration and binary files
• Track network traffic patterns for abnormal data transfer volumes or connection frequencies

How to Mitigate CVE-2022-23992

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the security patch from Broadcom immediately to all affected XCOM Data Transport 11.6 installations
• Restrict network access to XCOM Data Transport services using firewall rules to limit exposure
• Review system logs on affected hosts for signs of exploitation attempts or compromise
• Conduct an inventory assessment to identify all systems running vulnerable versions

Patch Information

Broadcom has released a security advisory and patch for this vulnerability. Organizations should obtain the appropriate security update from the Broadcom Security Advisory for CVE-2022-23992 and apply it following vendor guidance. The patch addresses the input validation deficiency to prevent command injection attacks.

Workarounds

• Implement network segmentation to isolate XCOM Data Transport services from untrusted networks
• Deploy web application firewall or network filtering rules to inspect and block malicious input patterns
• Consider disabling or limiting external access to XCOM Data Transport services until patches can be applied
• Enable additional logging and monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts

# Example network access restriction (firewall rule concept)
# Restrict XCOM Data Transport service access to trusted networks only
# Adjust according to your firewall solution and XCOM port configuration
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport <XCOM_PORT> -s <TRUSTED_NETWORK> -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport <XCOM_PORT> -j DROP