EyesOfNetwork 5.3 Local Privilege Escalation via Misconfigured Sudoers (CVE-2020-8655) Technical Analysis and Hardening Guide
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTEyesOfNetwork version 5.3 and potentially prior versions.
An attacker with apache web server privileges can execute arbitrary commands as root by leveraging nmap's NSE scripting engine via misconfigured sudoers permissions.
Remove or restrict the apache user's sudo privileges for nmap in the sudoers configuration, and upgrade to the patched version.
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
Apply the latest security updates provided by the EyesOfNetwork community to remediate the underlying configuration flaws.
# Update the EyesOfNetwork configuration and core packages
yum update -y eonconf
yum update -y eyesofnetwork2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If an immediate upgrade is not feasible, manually audit and restrict the sudoers configuration to prevent the apache user from executing nmap as root.
# Backup the current sudoers configuration
cp /etc/sudoers /etc/sudoers.bak
# Edit the sudoers file using visudo and remove/comment out the vulnerable line:
# Example line to remove: apache ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/nmap
visudo3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Inspect system authentication and secure logs to identify unauthorized sudo executions of nmap by the apache user.
# Search for sudo executions of nmap by the apache user
grep -E 'sudo.*apache.*nmap' /var/log/secure /var/log/audit/audit.log 2>/dev/null
# Check for suspicious use of the --script argument in nmap executions
grep -i 'script' /var/log/secure 2>/dev/nullBlock Kernel Privilege Escalation & Ransomware Payloads Before You Can Reboot
Protect unpatched Windows, Linux, and macOS workloads against in-memory exploitation and lateral movement with autonomous EDR.
Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability arises from a severe misconfiguration in the sudoers file of EyesOfNetwork 5.3. The system configuration grants the 'apache' user (which runs the web application) the ability to execute the nmap binary as root without requiring a password (NOPASSWD). This violates the principle of least privilege and introduces a direct path to local privilege escalation.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
Once an attacker gains initial access to the system under the context of the 'apache' user (typically via web-facing vulnerabilities), they can leverage the pre-existing sudo privilege. Since nmap supports the Nmap Scripting Engine (NSE) via the --script parameter, the attacker can craft a custom Lua script containing arbitrary system commands. By executing sudo nmap --script <malicious_script>, the script runs with root privileges, effectively bypassing all operating system security controls and granting the attacker a root shell.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
As a CISA KEV-listed vulnerability, this flaw has been actively exploited in the wild. Successful exploitation leads to a complete compromise of the EyesOfNetwork monitoring server. Because monitoring servers typically hold sensitive credentials and network topology maps for the entire enterprise infrastructure, a compromise here serves as an ideal launchpad for lateral movement and widespread internal network compromise.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
An issue was discovered in EyesOfNetwork 5.3. The sudoers configuration is prone to a privilege escalation vulnerability, allowing the apache user to run arbitrary commands as root via a crafted NSE script for nmap 7.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2020-8655)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2020-8655 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2020-8655 is rated CVSS 7.8 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 59.9%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2020-8655?
Primary impacted vendors include eyesofnetwork across eyesofnetwork. Scope summary: EyesOfNetwork version 5.3
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2020-8655 before patching?
[Mitigation] Remove or restrict the apache user's sudo privileges for nmap in the sudoers configuration, and upgrade to the patched version. Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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