Cyber Resilience

CVE-2022-36958

RCE in Solarwinds Orion Platform ≤ 2020.2.6

Published
20 October 2022
Modified
21 November 2024
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 8.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.83 99.6th percentile
Risk Priority 87 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2022-36958 is a high-severity Deserialization of Untrusted Data (CWE-502) vulnerability in Solarwinds Orion Platform. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).

Operationally, ranked in the top 0.4% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

SolarWinds Platform is affected by a deserialization of untrusted data vulnerability tracked as CVE-2022-36958. The flaw resides in the SolarWinds Web Console and carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.8, corresponding to CWE-502. It enables remote code execution when untrusted data is deserialized without sufficient validation.

A remote attacker who already possesses valid credentials for the SolarWinds Web Console can supply a malicious serialized object and achieve arbitrary command execution on the underlying system. The attack requires no user interaction and can be performed over the network with low complexity.

Public advisories published by SolarWinds and Zero Day Initiative at the referenced URLs describe the issue and direct administrators to available patches and configuration guidance for the affected platform versions.

The associated EPSS score reached a peak of 0.1698 and currently stands at 0.1480, indicating moderate and relatively stable exploitation interest since disclosure.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

SolarWinds Platform was susceptible to the Deserialization of Untrusted Data. This vulnerability allows a remote adversary with valid access to SolarWinds Web Console to execute arbitrary commands.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

Likely ATT&CK TechniquesAI

Techniques this vulnerability likely enables, inferred from its description, weakness type, and attributed-actor tradecraft. Confidence is per-technique.

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Accessconfidence: HIGH
The vulnerability is a remote code execution flaw in the SolarWinds Web Console, directly enabling exploitation of a public-facing application.
T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter Executionconfidence: HIGH
Successful exploitation results in arbitrary command execution on the underlying system.
T1078 Valid Accounts Stealthconfidence: HIGH
The attack requires valid credentials for the SolarWinds Web Console, indicating use of valid accounts for initial access.
inferred from description + CWE · MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise v19.0

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-23836Same product: Solarwinds Orion Platform
CVE-2021-35215Same product: Solarwinds Orion Platform
CVE-2021-35218Same product: Solarwinds Orion Platform
CVE-2023-23840Same product: Solarwinds Orion Platform
CVE-2023-23845Same product: Solarwinds Orion Platform
CVE-2020-10148Same product: Solarwinds Orion Platform
CVE-2022-36961Same product: Solarwinds Orion Platform
CVE-2021-31474Same product class: network monitoring / SIEM
CVE-2025-26399Same product class: network monitoring / SIEM
CVE-2021-35217Same product class: network monitoring / SIEM

Affected Assets

solarwinds
orion platform
2020.2.6, 2022.2, 2022.3 · ≤ 2020.2.6

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)
  • SI-10 Information Input Validation
  • SI-2 Flaw Remediation
  • SI-7 Software, Firmware, and Information Integrity
Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)
  • SI-7 Software, Firmware, and Information Integrity
Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

prevent

Directly requires validation of serialized inputs to the Web Console, blocking untrusted data that triggers arbitrary command execution in CVE-2022-36958.

prevent

Mandates timely application of vendor patches that remediate the deserialization flaw (CWE-502) in SolarWinds Platform versions.

preventdetect

Requires integrity checks on software and data to detect or block malicious serialized objects before they result in code execution.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-02 none match
prevents

PR.PS-02 addresses only post-deployment updates/patching and cannot prevent introduction of unsafe deserialization code, yet it can remediate some instances when the flaw exists in outdated libraries or components.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

detects

Security testing includes validation of deserialization routines and the use of untrusted data, reducing the likelihood that unsafe object reconstruction will be deployed.

prevents

Requiring vetted libraries, regular updates and SAST before release reduces the likelihood that deserialization logic will accept and act on attacker-controlled serialized objects.

detects

Regular scanning of third-party libraries and timely patching reduce the likelihood that unsafe deserialization vulnerabilities remain active.

none

Mandatory malware scanning of data received over networks or storage media intercepts malicious serialized payloads before they are deserialized by the target application.

References