CVE-2025-13808: Critical Privilege Escalation in OrionSec Orion-Ops User Profile Handler

by

Overview

CVE-2025-13808 describes a high-severity vulnerability found in OrionSec Orion-Ops, specifically affecting versions up to commit 5925824997a3109651bbde07460958a7be249ed1. This flaw allows a remote attacker to escalate privileges due to improper authorization within the User Profile Handler. The vendor was notified but did not respond. A proof-of-concept exploit is publicly available, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous.

Technical Details

The vulnerability resides in the update function of the UserController.java file within the orion-ops-api/orion-ops-web/src/main/java/cn/orionsec/ops/controller/ directory. The issue stems from improper authorization checks when updating user profile information. An attacker can manipulate the ID argument during the update process to modify attributes of other user accounts, potentially granting themselves administrative privileges. The specific code path affected is:

orion-ops-api/orion-ops-web/src/main/java/cn/orionsec/ops/controller/UserController.java: update(ID)

The public exploit demonstrates how to leverage this flaw to escalate privileges remotely.

CVSS Analysis

The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) score for CVE-2025-13808 is 7.3, indicating a HIGH severity vulnerability. The breakdown is as follows (estimation, actual vector may vary slightly):

  • CVSS Score: 7.3
  • Vector: AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L (This is an example, the actual vector may differ slightly)
  • Explanation: This suggests Network attack vector, Low attack complexity, No privileges required, No user interaction required, Unchanged Scope, Low impact to Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. The critical aspect is the ability for a remote attacker to exploit this vulnerability without needing prior authentication.

Possible Impact

The exploitation of CVE-2025-13808 can have severe consequences:

  • Privilege Escalation: Attackers can gain unauthorized access to sensitive system resources and functionalities by escalating their privileges to administrator level.
  • Data Breach: Unauthorized access to user accounts can lead to the compromise of sensitive data, including personal information, financial records, and proprietary business data.
  • System Compromise: Attackers can gain complete control over the affected Orion-Ops instance, potentially leading to system outages, data corruption, and further malicious activities.
  • Reputational Damage: A successful attack can severely damage the reputation of the organization using the vulnerable software.

Mitigation or Patch Steps

As the vendor has not responded, immediate mitigation steps are crucial:

  • Isolate the System: If possible, isolate the Orion-Ops instance from the public internet to limit the attack surface.
  • Implement Strict Access Controls: Enforce the principle of least privilege by limiting user access to only the resources they need. Implement strong authentication mechanisms, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA).
  • Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy a WAF to filter malicious traffic and potentially block exploit attempts based on known attack patterns. Configure WAF rules to detect and prevent unauthorized modifications to user profile data.
  • Code Review (if possible): If access to the source code is available, conduct a thorough code review of the update function in UserController.java to identify and correct the improper authorization logic. Specifically, ensure that the user ID being updated matches the ID of the authenticated user making the request.
  • Monitoring and Alerting: Implement robust security monitoring and alerting mechanisms to detect suspicious activity, such as unauthorized attempts to modify user profiles.
  • Consider Alternative Solutions: If a timely patch is not available, evaluate alternative solutions that offer similar functionality without the vulnerability.

References

Leave a Comment