Remote Code Execution vulnerability

Vulnerability

Overview

CVE-2020-15227 is a code injection vulnerability in the Nette PHP framework, affecting versions prior to 2.0.19, 2.1.13, 2.2.10, 2.3.14, 2.4.16, and 3.0.6 [1]. The flaw allows an attacker to inject and execute arbitrary PHP code by passing specially formed parameters in a URL [4]. This marks the first security vulnerability discovered in Nette's 13-year history [4].

Exploitation

The attack vector is remote and requires no authentication, as the vulnerability is triggered through crafted HTTP requests [1]. The attacker must be able to send a specially formed URL to the target application, which then processes the malicious parameters, leading to code execution [4]. The exact mechanism has not been publicly detailed to prevent widespread exploitation [4].

Impact

Successful exploitation can lead to full remote code execution (RCE) on the server, potentially allowing an attacker to compromise the entire application and underlying system [1][4]. Given Nette's widespread use in PHP projects, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to unpatched installations [2].

Mitigation

Patches have been released for all affected versions, including unsupported branches, reflecting Nette's commitment to security [4]. Users are strongly advised to update to the latest patched versions: nette/application 3.0.6 (or 3.0.2.1, 3.1.0-RC2), 2.4.16, 2.3.14, and nette/nette 2.1.13, 2.0.19 [4]. The fix can be applied via Composer or by downloading updated packages [4]. A Linux script is also available for rapid patching [4].