Unpacking Apache Superset’s Latest Security Vulnerabilities

Apache Superset, the popular data visualization tool, is a favorite for businesses looking to turn their numbers into insights. But like any powerful tool, potential vulnerabilities can lurk beneath the surface. However, three recent security issues were discovered in Apache Superset.

1. CVE-2023-49734 (CVSS 7.7): Apache Superset: Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Imagine a scenario where a seemingly low-level user, equipped with the “Gamma” role, can suddenly transform into a data lord. That’s the danger of CVE-2023-49734, a privilege escalation vulnerability. By simply creating and adding charts to a dashboard, this user can gain unauthorized write permissions, potentially modifying sensitive data or even granting themselves admin access. This vulnerability affects versions 2.1.0 and earlier, as well as 3.0.0 before 3.0.2.

2. CVE-2023-49736 (CVSS 6.5): Apache Superset: SQL Injection on where_in JINJA macro

Next up, CVE-2023-49736 throws open the door to SQL injection. This means a crafty attacker could exploit a specific JINJA macro to inject malicious code into your data queries. Imagine a seemingly harmless dashboard displaying corrupted data, manipulating results, or even revealing confidential information. This vulnerability also affects versions 2.1.0 and earlier, as well as 3.0.0 before 3.0.2.

3. CVE-2023-46104 (CVSS 6.5): Apache Superset: Allows for uncontrolled resource consumption via a ZIP bomb

Finally, CVE-2023-46104 introduces the “ZIP bomb” threat. An attacker could upload a specially crafted ZIP file, disguised as a database, dashboard, or dataset. When processed by Apache Superset, this file would rapidly expand, consuming excessive memory and CPU resources, potentially crashing your system and disrupting data access. This vulnerability affects all versions up to and including 2.1.2 and versions 3.0.0 and 3.0.1.

The good news is, that Apache Superset has issued patches to address these vulnerabilities. To stay secure, upgrade to version 3.0.2 or 2.1.3, depending on your environment. Additionally, consider implementing security best practices like user privilege management, data validation, and input filtering to further protect your valuable data.