CVE-2023-32188: JWT token compromise can allow malicious actions including Remote Code Execution (RCE)

Should you act?

Critical, preconditions apply

Severe if exploited, but exploitation needs conditions that may not apply to you. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.

• No confirmed exploitation. It is not in CISA’s KEV catalog and CISA’s SSVC assessment records no known exploitation. That can change quickly after a public write-up; re-check if you are affected.
• EPSS 0.6%, percentile 47: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.6% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 47% of all scored CVEs (low). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
• Needs an account (low (any account)). Exposure depends on who can log in.
• Only applies if your dependency tree includes github.com/neuvector/neuvector (Go) < 0.0.0-20230930010431-57d107118e92, fixed in 0.0.0-20231003121714-be746957ee7c. Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

What it is

A user can reverse engineer the JWT token (JSON Web Token) used in authentication for Manager and API access, forging a valid NeuVector Token to perform malicious activity in NeuVector. This can lead to an RCE.

From the GitHub advisory

Impact

A user can reverse engineer the JWT token (JSON Web Token) used in authentication for Manager and API access, forging a valid NeuVector Token to perform malicious activity in NeuVector. This can lead to an RCE.

Patches

Upgrade to NeuVector version 5.2.2 or later and latest Helm chart (2.6.3+). + In 5.2.2 the certificate for JWT-signing is created automatically by controller with validity of 90days and rotated automatically. + Use Helm-based deployment/upgrade to 5.2.2 to generate a unique certificate for Manager, REST API, ahd registry adapter. Helm based installation/upgrade is required in order to automatically generate certificates upon initial installation and each subsequent upgrade. + See release notes for manual/yaml based deployment advice. + 5.2.2 also implements additional protections against possible RCE for the feature of custom compliance scripts.

Workarounds

Weakness type: CWE-1270.

Product: github.com/neuvector/neuvector (Go) · Assigned by: suse · Published: 2024-10-16

Affected and fixed versions

Severity scores

• Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
• Attack complexity: low
• Attack requirements: none
• Privileges required: low (any account)
• User interaction: none

CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.

Exploitation and urgency

• CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
• CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none, automatable no, technical impact total.
• FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.59% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 47.

Timeline

• 2023-10-06 — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-622h-h2p8-743x published (critical)
• 2024-10-16 — CVE record last updated
• 2024-10-16 — CVE record published by suse

Sources and references

Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.

Vulnerability records

1. GitHub Advisory GHSA-622h-h2p8-743x github.com
2. CVE.org record CVE-2023-32188 cve.org
3. NVD entry CVE-2023-32188 nvd.nist.gov

Other references from the CVE record and advisory

1. bugzilla.suse.com bugzilla.suse.com
2. github.com github.com
3. open-docs.neuvector.com open-docs.neuvector.com

Critical Go advisories · Today’s Security Digest