SolarWinds Orion API Authentication Bypass and Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2020-10148) Security Advisory
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTSolarWinds Orion Platform versions 2019.4 HF 5, 2020.2 with no hotfix installed, and 2020.2 HF 1
A remote, unauthenticated attacker can bypass authentication mechanisms to execute arbitrary API commands, potentially leading to complete compromise of the SolarWinds instance
Immediately apply the official SolarWinds hotfixes/patches and restrict external access to the Orion API port
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
SolarWinds recommends upgrading to Orion Platform 2020.2.1 HF 2 or the latest SolarWinds Platform release to fully resolve this vulnerability.
Verify your current Orion installation version and initiate the update process using PowerShell:
# Check installed Orion Core assembly versions
Get-ChildItem -Path 'C:\Program Files (x86)\SolarWinds\Orion' -Filter 'SolarWinds.Orion.Core.*.dll' | Select-Object Name, VersionInfo
# Launch SolarWinds Administration installer silently to apply updates
Start-Process -FilePath 'C:\ProgramData\SolarWinds\Installers\SolarWinds.Administration.exe' -ArgumentList '/silent' -Wait2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If patching cannot be performed immediately, implement an IIS URL Rewrite rule to block suspicious requests attempting to bypass authentication.
Add the following rewrite rule to your Orion web application's web.config file:
<!-- Insert inside the <system.webServer> section of web.config -->
<configuration>
<system.webServer>
<rewrite>
<rules>
<rule name='Block Suspicious API Bypass' stopProcessing='true'>
<match url='.*' />
<conditions>
<add input='{Request_URI}' pattern='(?i)/Orion/.*(WebResource|ScriptResource)\.axd' />
</conditions>
<action type='CustomResponse' statusCode='403' statusReason='Forbidden' statusDescription='Access Denied' />
</rule>
</rules>
</rewrite>
</system.webServer>
</configuration>3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Use the following PowerShell script to scan IIS access logs for potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability:
# Define IIS log directory path
$LogPath = 'C:\inetpub\logs\LogFiles\W3SVC1\*'
# Search for suspicious URI patterns combining Orion API paths with static resource handlers
Select-String -Path $LogPath -Pattern '(?i)/Orion/.*(WebResource|ScriptResource)\.axd' |
Select-Object Path, LineNumber, Line |
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Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability (CVE-2020-10148) stems from a flaw in the authentication and request-routing architecture of the SolarWinds Orion API. Due to improper handling of specific URI paths, the authentication filter can be bypassed (CWE-288, CWE-306). This allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to access restricted API endpoints that should otherwise require administrative privileges.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An attacker crafts an HTTP request containing specific parameter patterns (such as appending references to allowed static resource handlers like WebResource.axd or ScriptResource.axd to the API request path). The IIS web server and Orion routing engine interpret the request as a non-authenticated static resource request, bypassing the authentication filter. However, the internal dispatcher still routes the request to the intended API endpoint, executing administrative commands on behalf of the unauthenticated attacker.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
SolarWinds Orion is a critical infrastructure monitoring and management platform. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability allows attackers to gain deep visibility into internal network topologies, harvest credentials, and execute arbitrary code. Given its inclusion in the CISA KEV catalog, this vulnerability has been actively exploited in the wild by sophisticated threat actors, posing an extreme risk of lateral movement and ransomware deployment.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
The SolarWinds Orion API is vulnerable to an authentication bypass that could allow a remote attacker to execute API commands. This vulnerability could allow a remote attacker to bypass authentication and execute API commands which may result in a compromise of the SolarWinds instance. SolarWinds Orion Platform versions 2019.4 HF 5, 2020.2 with no hotfix installed, and 2020.2 HF 1 are affected.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2020-10148)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2020-10148 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2020-10148 is rated CVSS 9.8 (CRITICAL) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 92.0%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2020-10148?
Primary impacted vendors include solarwinds across orion_platform. Scope summary: SolarWinds Orion Platform 2019.4 HF 5, 2020.2 (no hotfix), and 2020.2 HF 1
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2020-10148 before patching?
[Mitigation] Immediately apply the official SolarWinds hotfixes/patches and restrict external access to the Orion API port Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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