CVE-2023-49110 is an XML External Entity (XXE) injection vulnerability classified under CWE-611 affecting Kiuwan SAST, a static application security testing tool used for source code analysis. The flaw occurs when the Kiuwan Local Analyzer uploads scan results to the Kiuwan SAST web application, either on-premises or cloud-hosted. These results include a ZIP archive containing multiple files, some in XML format. During server-side processing, the application improperly resolves external XML entities embedded within these XML files. This behavior allows an attacker with legitimate scanning privileges within the "Code Security" module to craft malicious XML payloads that trigger the XXE vulnerability. Exploiting this, the attacker can read arbitrary files on the server with the permissions of the application server user, potentially exposing sensitive information such as configuration files, credentials, or other secrets. Beyond file disclosure, the vulnerability permits the attacker to initiate outbound connections from the server to internal network systems, enabling activities like port scanning or accessing internal administrative interfaces such as the Wildfly admin console used by Kiuwan. The vulnerability affects versions prior to master.1808.p685.q13371 and has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.2, indicating high severity. Exploitation requires network access and authenticated scanning privileges but no additional user interaction. Although no known exploits are publicly reported, the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the potential for data exfiltration and internal network reconnaissance, which could facilitate further attacks or lateral movement within an organization’s environment.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a critical risk to the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive development and operational data. Organizations relying on Kiuwan SAST for code security analysis may have their internal server files exposed, including credentials and configuration files, which could lead to unauthorized access or privilege escalation. The ability to perform internal network scans and access internal services increases the risk of lateral movement and broader network compromise. This is particularly concerning for organizations in regulated sectors such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, where data breaches can lead to severe legal and financial consequences under GDPR and other regulations. Additionally, the exposure of internal administrative consoles like Wildfly could allow attackers to manipulate or disrupt application services, impacting availability. The requirement for authenticated access limits the attack surface but insider threats or compromised user accounts could be leveraged to exploit this vulnerability. Overall, the impact includes potential data breaches, operational disruption, and increased risk of further exploitation within the internal network.

To mitigate CVE-2023-49110, European organizations should: 1) Immediately upgrade Kiuwan SAST to the fixed version master.1808.p685.q13371 or later once available. 2) If patching is not immediately possible, restrict access to the Kiuwan SAST web application and scanning modules to trusted users only, enforcing strict authentication and authorization controls. 3) Implement network segmentation to limit the Kiuwan server’s ability to initiate outbound connections to internal systems, reducing the risk of internal reconnaissance. 4) Monitor and audit scan result uploads and server logs for suspicious XML payloads or unusual file access patterns. 5) Disable or restrict XML external entity processing in the application configuration if possible, or apply XML parsing libraries that are hardened against XXE attacks. 6) Conduct regular reviews of user privileges to ensure only necessary personnel have scanning rights. 7) Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block malicious XML payloads targeting XXE vulnerabilities. 8) Educate developers and security teams about the risks of XXE and secure XML handling practices to prevent similar issues in custom integrations.