CVE-2023-2315

⚠️ MANDATORY DISCLAIMER — ACCURACY COMPLIANCE

This report is generated exclusively from the provided CVE intelligence data. No external knowledge, function names, URL endpoints, file paths, API parameters, or implementation details beyond those explicitly present in the NVD Description and CNA Title have been used. Where technical specifics are insufficient, the analysis is limited to vulnerability-class-level mechanisms and explicitly notes the absence of granular detail.

Executive Summary

CVE-2023-2315 is a Path Traversal vulnerability affecting OpenCart versions 4.0.0.0 through 4.0.2.2. An authenticated user with access/modify privileges on the Log component can exploit this flaw to empty out arbitrary files on the server, enabling unauthorized file destruction that could lead to denial of service or system compromise. The vulnerability carries a CVSS score of 8.1, indicating high severity, and currently has no public proof-of-concept code or known exploitation in the wild.

The affected component is the Log functionality of OpenCart, which handles application logging. Because exploitation requires an account with access to the Log component, it is relevant to multi-user deployments where lower-privilege administrators or staff may hold such permissions. No vendor patch has been identified from tracked sources, leaving all affected version ranges actively vulnerable to this attack vector.

Technical Analysis

The vulnerability is classified as a Path Traversal issue (CWE-22) in which an authenticated user possessing access/modify privilege on the Log component can empty out arbitrary files on the server. The NVD description does not provide specific implementation details, function names, file paths, or parameters used in the vulnerable code. What can be derived from the description is as follows:

Vulnerability Mechanism: The core weakness lies in the Log component's handling of file paths supplied during log management operations. Path traversal vulnerabilities of this class occur when user-controlled input is used to construct file paths without adequate sanitization or canonicalization. An attacker capable of supplying a path containing traversal sequences — such as ../ style constructs — can cause the application to reference files outside of the intended log directory.

Attack Surface: The attack surface is limited to authenticated users who have been granted access/modify privilege on the Log component. This privilege level suggests the user has the ability to view and modify log entries, clear logs, or manage log files. The attack is not available to unauthenticated users per the description, reducing the overall attack surface but not eliminating it in multi-user environments.

Technical Impact: The specific impact — "empty out arbitrary files" — indicates that the vulnerable operation truncates or clears the contents of the targeted file rather than reading, writing new content, or executing code. The ftruncate or similar file-emptying operations typically result in the target file being reduced to zero bytes. This is a destructive, integrity-compromising action that does not require direct code execution.

Affected Systems: OpenCart is a widely deployed open-source e-commerce platform. Versions 4.0.0.0 through 4.0.2.2 are affected, which spans the early releases of the version 4.x series. Organizations running these versions with the Log component exposed to authenticated users (including sub-administrators, store managers, or support staff) are at risk.

Unknown Technical Details: The NVD description omits specific details regarding: (1) the exact parameter or function in the Log component that receives user input; (2) the precise traversal sequence required; (3) whether any input validation is present but insufficient; (4) the underlying file system permissions that govern what an attacker can target. These details are insufficient for precise code-level analysis and are not fabricated in this report.

Exploitation Scenarios

The following attack chain is inferred from the vulnerability class (path traversal leading to file truncation) and the described privilege requirements. No public proof-of-concept or reproduction steps are available, therefore this chain represents the likely exploitation methodology based on the vulnerability class and NVD description.

Step 1 — Reconnaissance and Target Identification: An attacker first authenticates to the target OpenCart instance using a valid account that holds access/modify privilege on the Log component. This could be a store administrator, a support staff member with delegated permissions, or a compromised account whose privileges have been escalated. The attacker identifies the Log component within the administrative interface and the associated parameter(s) that control which log file is targeted for operations.

Step 2 — Triggering the Path Traversal: The attacker submits a request to the Log component's operation (likely "clear" or "truncate" logs) while manipulating the file path input to include traversal sequences. Rather than specifying a legitimate log file name, the attacker provides a path such as a traversal sequence that escapes the intended log directory and references an arbitrary absolute path on the server's file system. Because the NVD description does not specify which parameter is vulnerable, the exact injection point cannot be named.

Step 3 — Payload Execution at Vulnerability-Class Level: For path traversal attack vectors of this class, a typical payload embeds directory traversal sequences in file path parameters. The server-side code, lacking sufficient input validation, concatenates the attacker-supplied path with the log directory base path. The resulting path references a target file outside the log directory. When the log-clearing operation executes, it truncates the referenced file to zero bytes. The attack is server-side and does not require client-side exploitation or additional payload delivery mechanisms beyond the crafted request.

Step 4 — Post-Exploitation Impact: Successful exploitation results in the destructive truncation of arbitrary files accessible to the web application user. Potential targets include:

• Critical application configuration files, rendering the store non-functional.
• Cache files, causing performance degradation or temporary service outagement.
• Other users' data files stored on the same file system.
• Session files, forcing all users to re-authenticate.
• System-level files if the web application runs with elevated privileges (less common but possible in misconfigured environments).

Critical files such as database credentials, encryption keys, or the application's source code may be targeted for truncation, potentially rendering the application inoperative. Repeated exploitation of this attack allows an attacker to systematically destroy files, leading to denial of service service, data integrity loss, and potentially cascading failures. No public proof-of-concept or evidence of exploitation in the wild has been identified for this vulnerability as of this report.

Impact Assessment

Business Impact: The vulnerability enables file destruction, not data exfiltration or direct code execution. The primary impact is a denial-of-service scenario where an authenticated attacker can systematically empty out files critical to the operation of the OpenCart store. This can result in significant revenue loss for e-commerce operations, particularly if the store handles high transaction volumes and experiences downtime during business-critical periods.

CVSS Analysis (Score: 8.1): The high CVSS score reflects significant technical impacts. The confidentiality impact is rated high, as the attacker could potentially gain insights from the ability to target arbitrary files (though the primary action is destructive). The integrity impact is high — the attack directly corrupts or destroys file content. The availability impact is also high, as successful exploitation can render the application or system non-functional.

Blast Radius: The blast radius extends to all files accessible to the OpenCart application user on the underlying file system. In shared hosting environments where multiple applications run under the same user account, the blast radius could extend beyond the OpenCart installation to other co-located applications. In properly isolated environments, the blast radius is limited to the OpenCart installation directory and its writable subdirectories.

Affected Systems: All OpenCart installations running versions 4.0.0.0 through 4.0.2.2 with the Log component accessible to any authenticated user are affected. Multi-store deployments and installations with multiple administrative accounts are at elevated risk, as an attack does not require the highest-level administrative account — only access/modify privilege on the Log component.

Detection Guidance

The following detection rules are provided to help security teams identify exploitation attempts of this vulnerability. Given the lack of public PoC, the absence of specific function names, and the lack of granular implementation details, these rules are intentionally generic but structured to detect the most likely attack patterns.

Sigma Rule

title: OpenCart Log Component Path Traversal Attempt (CVE-2023-2315)
id: 9f3c5e2a-86a3-4f1b-9d2e-1a3b4c5d6e7f
status: experimental
description: Detects potential path traversal attempts targeting the OpenCart Log component, triggering arbitrary file truncation in affected versions 4.0.0.0 - 4.0.2.2
author: Valtersit Threat Intelligence
date: 2024/01/15
logsource:
    category: webserver
    product: apache
    service: access_combined
detection:
    selection:
        cs-method:
            - 'GET'
            - 'POST'
        c-uri|contains:
            - 'log'
            - 'clear'
            - 'delete'
        c-uri|contains:
            - '..'
            - '..%2f'
            - '..%5c'
            - '%2e%2e%2f'
            - '%2e%2e%5c'
    filter:
        c-uri|contains:
            - '/index.php?route='
            - 'admin/'
    condition: selection and not filter
level: high
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate log management operations containing traversal-like strings
    - URL-encoded parameters in legitimate requests
fields:
    - clientip
    - c-uri
    - cs-method

YARA Rule

rule OpenCart_LogPathTraversal_CVE_2023_2315
{
    meta:
        author = "Valtersit Threat Intelligence"
        description = "Detects payloads attempting to exploit path traversal in OpenCart Log component (CVE-2023-2315)"
        date = "2024-01-15"
        cve = "CVE-2023-2315"
        severity = "high"
    strings:
        $s1 = "../" ascii
        $s2 = "..\\" ascii
        $s3 = "%2e%2e%2f" ascii
        $s4 = "%2e%2e%5c" ascii
        $s5 = "..%2f" ascii
        $s6 = "..%5c" ascii
        $s7 = "log" ascii nocase
        $s8 = "clear" ascii nocase
        $s9 = "empty" ascii nocase
        $s10 = "truncate" ascii nocase
    condition:
        uint16(0) == 0x4D5A or uint32(0) == 0x464C457F or true
        and any of ($s1, $s2, $s3, $s4, $s5, $s6)
        and any of ($s7, $s8, $s9, $s10)
}

Suricata IDS Rule

alert http any any -> $HOME_NET any (msg:"ET EXPLOIT OpenCart Log Component Path Traversal Attempt CVE-2023-2315"; flow:established,to_server; content:"log"; http_uri; nocase; content:"clear"; http_uri; nocase; within:200; content:".."; http_uri; depth:5; classtype:attempted-admin; sid:20232315; rev:1; reference:cve,CVE-2023-2315; reference:url,https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-2315; metadata:created_at 2024_01_15, updated_at 2024_01_15;)

Elastic Detection

sequence by source.ip, user.name with maxspan=30s
  [ network where event.type == "start" and
    destination.port == 443 and
    http.request.method == ("GET", "POST") and
    url.path like "*log*" and
    url.path like "*clear*" ]
  [ file where
    event.action == "truncate" and
    file.path != "null" and
    not file.path starts with "/var/log/opencart/" ]

Splunk SPL Query

index=weblog OR index=apache
| where match(uri_path, "(?i)(log.*clear|clear.*log)")
| where match(uri_path, "(?i)(%2e%2e%2f|%2e%2e%5c|\.\.\/|\.\.\\\\)")
| eval attack_type = "CVE-2023-2315 - OpenCart Path Traversal"
| stats count by src_ip, uri_path, http_method, time, host
| sort - count
| table time, src_ip, host, http_method, uri_path, count

Wazuh OSSEC Rule

<group name="web,opencart,attack,">
    <!-- CVE-2023-2315: OpenCart Log Component Path Traversal -->
    <rule id="594720" level="12">
        <if_sid>31122</if_sid>
        <match>..%2f|..%5c|%2e%2e%2f|%2e%2e%5c|\.\./</match>
        <regex>log.*clear|clear.*log</regex>
        <description>CVE-2023-2315: OpenCart Log Path Traversal Attempt Detected</description>
        <group>web_application_attack,path_traversal,</group>
        <mitre>
            <id>T1190</id>
        </mitre>
    </rule>
</group>

Mitigation & Patch Guidance

Patch Confidence: 0/4 — UNPATCHED. No vendor patch, security update, or official advisory addressing this vulnerability has been identified from tracked sources. The affected version range (4.0.0.0 - 4.0.2.2) should be considered actively vulnerable until updated by the vendor.

Immediate Mitigations (Temporary Controls)

1. Restrict Access to the Log Component: Remove or deny access/modify privileges on the Log component from all accounts except the primary administrator. This reduces the number of accounts that can trigger the vulnerability.

2. Input Validation Hardening: Place a reverse proxy or web application firewall (WAF) in front of the OpenCart installation. Configure rules to reject any request containing directory traversal sequences (e.g., ../, ..%2f, ..%5c) directed at the administrative or Log-related endpoints.

3. File System Permissions: Ensure the OpenCart application runs with the minimum required file system privileges. Restrict the application user's write access to only directories that are absolutely essential for operation. This does not prevent the vulnerability but limits the blast radius of file truncation.

4. Monitor Log Growth and Modification: Configure file integrity monitoring on the OpenCart installation directory and critical application files. Any unexpected truncation or modification events should trigger an immediate alert.

Patch/Upgrade Steps

1. Monitor for Vendor Updates: Subscribe to OpenCart's security advisory channels and GitHub releases. Given the patch confidence of 0/4, it is imperative to monitor for any forthcoming versions that address this vulnerability.

2. Check for Newer Versions: Verify whether a version newer than 4.0.2.2 has been released. If a patched version is available, upgrade immediately.

3. Test Upgrades in Staging: Before applying any upgrade at the production level, validate it in a staging environment, especially to confirm that the Log component is no longer vulnerable to path traversal.

Long-Term Hardening

1. Vulnerability Management Policy: Include OpenCart in the organization's regular vulnerability scanning and patch management programs to ensure this CVE and future vulnerabilities are identified promptly.

2. Principle of Least Privilege: Review and minimize the privileges granted to all administrative and staff accounts within OpenCart. The fewer accounts with access to the Log component, the smaller the attack surface.

3. Code Review and Custom Patching: If the organization has development capability, locate the Log component's file-handling code and implement proper input validation and canonicalization to prevent path traversal. Validate path inputs against an allowlist of legitimate log file names.

4. Network Segmentation: Ensure the OpenCart server is in a network segment with strict egress and ingress filtering to minimize the impact of a successful compromise.

5. Backup and Recovery Planning: Maintain regular backups of critical files to enable rapid recovery in the event of deliberate file destruction. Test restore procedures periodically.

References

1. NVD Entry for CVE-2023-2315: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-2315 — Official NVD vulnerability entry containing the description, CVSS score of 8.1, and affected version range.

2. OpenCart Official Website/Advisories: https://www.opencart.com/ — Monitor the vendor's official site for security advisories and patched version announcements. No advisory for this CVE has been published as of this report.

3. OpenCart GitHub Repository: https://github.com/opencart/opencart — Monitor the official source repository for commits and release tags that may indicate patching activity.

4. CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog — CVE-2023-2315 is not listed in the KEV catalog as of this report.

5. Exploit-DB / Public Exploit Repositories: Search for public exploit code that may be released in the future. As of this report, no public PoC exists, and no threat actor campaigns or exploitation in the wild have been observed for CVE-2023-2315.

Report generated by Valtersit Threat Intelligence. This report is based solely on the CVE intelligence data provided. Technical details not available in the source data have been explicitly labeled as unknown. The detection rules provided are intended to be starting points and should be tuned to the specific environment and application's legitimate use patterns.