CVE-2024-0692: SolarWinds Security Event Manager RCE Flaw

CVE-2024-0692 Overview

CVE-2024-0692 is a critical Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability affecting SolarWinds Security Event Manager (SEM). This vulnerability allows an unauthenticated attacker with adjacent network access to abuse SolarWinds' service, resulting in remote code execution on the target system. The flaw is classified as CWE-502 (Insecure Deserialization), which occurs when untrusted data is used to abuse the logic of an application, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers on an adjacent network can achieve full remote code execution on SolarWinds Security Event Manager systems, potentially compromising the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of security monitoring infrastructure.

Affected Products

• SolarWinds Security Event Manager (versions prior to 2023.4.1)

Discovery Timeline

• 2024-03-01 - CVE-2024-0692 published to NVD
• 2025-02-26 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-0692

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from an insecure deserialization flaw (CWE-502) in the SolarWinds Security Event Manager. Insecure deserialization vulnerabilities occur when an application deserializes untrusted data without proper validation, allowing attackers to manipulate serialized objects to execute arbitrary code or perform other malicious actions.

In this case, the vulnerability can be exploited by an unauthenticated attacker who has access to the adjacent network. The attack does not require any user interaction, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where SolarWinds SEM is deployed as a critical security monitoring component. Successful exploitation grants attackers the ability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the SolarWinds service, potentially leading to complete system compromise.

The exploitation probability is notably high, with an EPSS score indicating significant real-world exploit likelihood. This makes the vulnerability a priority for immediate remediation in affected environments.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-0692 is improper handling of deserialization operations within the SolarWinds Security Event Manager service. The application fails to adequately validate or sanitize serialized data before processing it, creating an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious serialized objects. When these objects are deserialized by the application, they can trigger arbitrary code execution or other unintended behaviors. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can bypass traditional authentication mechanisms entirely.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2024-0692 requires adjacent network access, meaning the attacker must be positioned on the same network segment as the vulnerable SolarWinds Security Event Manager instance. From this position, the attacker can send specially crafted requests containing malicious serialized objects to the vulnerable service. The attack has low complexity and requires no privileges or user interaction, making it highly exploitable once network access is obtained.

The exploitation flow typically involves:

1. Attacker gains access to the adjacent network where SolarWinds SEM is deployed
2. Attacker identifies and connects to the vulnerable SolarWinds service
3. Attacker sends a crafted request containing malicious serialized data
4. The service deserializes the malicious payload without proper validation
5. Arbitrary code is executed with service privileges, potentially compromising the system

For detailed technical information, refer to the SolarWinds Security Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-0692

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual network connections to SolarWinds SEM services from unexpected internal hosts
• Suspicious process spawning from SolarWinds Security Event Manager service processes
• Unexpected file system modifications or new files created within the SolarWinds SEM installation directory
• Anomalous outbound network traffic originating from the SEM server

Detection Strategies

• Monitor network traffic for unusual serialized object patterns or unexpected data payloads targeting SolarWinds SEM services
• Implement endpoint detection rules to identify suspicious process chains originating from SolarWinds services
• Deploy network segmentation monitoring to detect lateral movement attempts from compromised SEM servers
• Review SolarWinds SEM logs for authentication anomalies or service errors that may indicate exploitation attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on SolarWinds Security Event Manager to capture detailed service activity
• Implement network intrusion detection signatures for known deserialization attack patterns
• Monitor for privilege escalation attempts or unusual administrative actions following potential exploitation
• Establish baseline behavior for SolarWinds SEM processes and alert on deviations

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-0692

Immediate Actions Required

• Update SolarWinds Security Event Manager to version 2023.4.1 or later immediately
• Isolate vulnerable SolarWinds SEM instances from less trusted network segments until patching is complete
• Review network access controls to restrict access to SolarWinds SEM services to authorized management hosts only
• Audit existing SEM servers for signs of compromise before and after patching

Patch Information

SolarWinds has released a security patch addressing CVE-2024-0692 in Security Event Manager version 2023.4.1. Organizations should immediately apply this update to all affected installations. The patch addresses the insecure deserialization vulnerability by implementing proper validation and sanitization of serialized data before processing.

For complete patch details and installation instructions, refer to the SolarWinds SEM Release Notes and the SolarWinds Security Advisory.

Workarounds

• Implement strict network segmentation to limit adjacent network access to SolarWinds SEM servers
• Deploy application-layer firewalls or web application firewalls to filter potentially malicious serialized payloads
• Restrict network access to SolarWinds SEM services using host-based firewalls or access control lists (ACLs)
• Consider temporarily disabling vulnerable services if patching cannot be immediately performed, with awareness of operational impact

# Example: Restrict network access to SolarWinds SEM using iptables
# Allow only specific management subnet to access SEM services
iptables -A INPUT -s 10.0.1.0/24 -p tcp --dport 8443 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8443 -j DROP