Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-27842

Extplorer 2.1.15

Public PoC
Published
21 March 2023
Modified
26 February 2025
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 0.024 83th percentile
Risk Priority 84 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-27842 is a high-severity Insecure Inherited Permissions (CWE-277) vulnerability in Extplorer Extplorer. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Path Interception (T1034); ranked in the top 17% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

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

CVE-2023-27842 is an insecure permissions vulnerability affecting the index.php component of eXtplorer file manager version 2.1.15. The flaw carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 8.8 and is associated with CWE-277, enabling remote code execution when the component processes requests without adequate permission checks.

A remote attacker with low-privileged access can exploit the issue over the network to achieve arbitrary code execution, resulting in full confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts on the affected installation. The current EPSS score of 0.4515, with a recorded peak of 0.4971, indicates moderate and relatively stable exploitation interest since disclosure.

Public references include a detailed technical write-up, a proof-of-concept repository, and the vendor site hosting the 2.1.15 release archive, though no explicit patch or mitigation guidance is documented in the available sources.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Insecure Permissions vulnerability found in Extplorer File manager eXtplorer v.2.1.15 allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code via the index.php compenent

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1034 Path Interception Persistence
**This technique has been deprecated.
T1548 Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may circumvent mechanisms designed to control privilege elevation to gain higher-level permissions.
T1552 Unsecured Credentials Credential Access
Adversaries may search compromised systems to find and obtain insecurely stored credentials.
T1574 Hijack Execution Flow Stealth
Adversaries may execute their own malicious payloads by hijacking the way operating systems run programs.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-29657Same product: Extplorer Extplorer
CVE-2023-54335Same product: Extplorer Extplorer
CVE-2023-40628Same product: Extplorer Extplorer
CVE-2025-13058Same product: Extplorer Extplorer
CVE-2024-23233Shared CWE-277
CVE-2025-32797Shared CWE-277
CVE-2024-36539Shared CWE-277
CVE-2024-36542Shared CWE-277
CVE-2024-6605Shared CWE-277
CVE-2024-27834Shared CWE-277

Affected Assets

extplorer
extplorer
2.1.15

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 8 hardening rules · 3 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)

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.AA-05 mostly match
prevents

Directly addresses defining and enforcing secure access permissions and least privilege, which prevents insecure inheritance.

PR.PS-01 partial match
prevents

Configuration management practices include establishing secure permission baselines that avoid insecure inheritance.

PR.PS-06 partial match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices would catch and prevent defining insecure inherited permissions during development.

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.

finds

Security testing may detect permission issues but does not prevent insecure inheritance by design.

degrades

Privileged access rights management can limit inheritance of excessive permissions but does not directly address insecure default permission inheritance.

prevents

Secure development lifecycle practices can include permission model reviews but do not guarantee secure inherited permissions.

prevents

Secure system architecture principles can incorporate least-privilege permission models but do not specifically mandate secure inheritance.

prevents

Secure coding standards can explicitly require setting restrictive permissions at object creation, directly mitigating insecure inheritance.

degrades

Information access restriction policies can reduce risk from inherited permissions but do not enforce secure permission inheritance at creation time.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Windows Server 2016 (2 rules)
  • V-224974 Domain-created Active Directory Organizational Unit (OU) objects must have proper access control permissions. prevents CWE-277
  • V-224972 Active Directory Group Policy objects must have proper access control permissions. prevents CWE-277
Windows Server 2019 (2 rules)
  • V-205743 Windows Server 2019 organization created Active Directory Organizational Unit (OU) objects must have proper access control permissions. prevents CWE-277
  • V-205741 Windows Server 2019 Active Directory Group Policy objects must have proper access control permissions. prevents CWE-277
Windows Server 2022 (1 rule)
  • V-254395 Windows Server 2022 organization created Active Directory Organizational Unit (OU) objects must have proper access control permissions. prevents CWE-277

References