External risk intelligence

MISP Order Clause Mishandling Vulnerability

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8)

CVE-2023-48656

MISP (Malware Information Sharing Platform) is commonly deployed as a web-based platform intended to be accessible to users and other servers for threat intelligence exchange, often placing it in a position where it is reachable via web-based network interfaces.

Misp Project Misp

before 2.4.176

Halo Surface Signal: 4 out of 5 — likely to be public-facing.

External exposure likelihood

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

A vulnerability has been identified in the MISP platform that could allow unauthorized access and manipulation of data. This issue stems from how the platform handles specific data ordering requests, potentially creating a pathway for attackers to exploit. While the full business impact is under review, confirmation of relevance and exposure is the immediate concern.

Software improperly handles data requests.
Critical vulnerability could impact data integrity.
Confirm relevance and exposure for MISP.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted requests to the MISP application, which is accessible over the network. The vulnerability lies in how the application handles `order` clauses in its data processing, specifically within the `AppModel.php` file. By manipulating these clauses, an attacker could potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive information, modify data, or disrupt the application's normal operations.

No authentication or special privileges required.
Exploits mishandling of order clauses.
Leads to data theft, modification, or denial of service.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

This vulnerability could impact the integrity and availability of MISP systems when order clauses are improperly handled. Without proper input sanitization, an attacker could potentially manipulate database queries to gain unauthorized access to information or disrupt service operations. The exact data affected would depend on the specific queries being executed at the time of exploitation.

System integrity and availability may be impacted.
Malicious input could alter database queries.
Unauthorized data access or service disruption.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

Determining ownership for this vulnerability requires identifying who manages the MISP instances. This could fall under security operations, threat intelligence platforms, or IT infrastructure teams depending on the organization's structure. The first practical step is to inventory all deployed MISP instances, assess their network exposure, and confirm business criticality before planning any remediation or mitigation.

Accountable team: Confirm MISP instance owners.
Verify: Network exposure and business criticality.
Action: Plan and coordinate remediation efforts.

Supplementary metadata

CVSS vector

Validate whether this threat affects your internet-facing exposure.

Halo Threat Intelligence helps prioritize remediation with Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context. Start exposure validation with a free external attack surface trial.

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Frequently asked questions

What is MISP and what is it used for?

MISP, or Malware Information Sharing Platform, is an open-source software project designed for gathering, correlating, and distributing indicators of compromise and threat intelligence. Organizations use it to build a shared repository of threat data, enabling teams to collaborate and automate defenses against cyber attacks by exchanging structured information across different security platforms.

What does CVE-2023-48656 mean for MISP security?

This CVE identifies a weakness where the application fails to properly sanitize input before processing database commands. Specifically, the software mishandles 'order' clauses within its data processing logic. This type of flaw can allow unauthorized parties to manipulate how the system queries its database, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, modification, or other unintended system behaviors.

How is this MISP vulnerability triggered?

An attacker triggers this issue by sending a specially crafted request containing malicious 'order' parameters to the MISP application. The vulnerability is tied specifically to how the application interprets these inputs in the backend. It is important to note that normal, legitimate administrative or user-driven data sorting actions that do not contain malformed or malicious syntax do not trigger this specific flaw.

Do I need to worry about this CVE if my MISP instance is internal?

Halo Surface Signal indicates that because MISP is typically deployed as a web-based platform for threat intelligence exchange, it is often reachable via network interfaces. While internet-facing instances are at higher risk, any network-accessible MISP installation—even if restricted to internal networks—could be targeted by an attacker who has gained a foothold in your environment.

When should I take action on CVE-2023-48656?

You should prioritize this immediately by first performing an inventory of all MISP instances in your environment. Once identified, assess the network exposure and business criticality of each instance. The primary remediation path is to update your software to version 2.4.176 or later, as this release includes the necessary changes to address how the application handles data requests.

References

Written by Nicholas Merritt

Nicholas Merritt is VP of Security Solutions at Halo Security. With more than 25 years across application security, vulnerability prioritization, and offensive security, he helps teams translate threat data into practical exposure validation and remediation focus. He authors Halo Threat Intelligence CVE advisories using Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context to prioritize internet-facing risk.