CVE-2023-0242 Insufficient permission check in the VQL copy() function
Low-privilege users can overwrite server files, including configuration, due to missing write permission checks in the VQL copy function.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- A user has to click or open something
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2023-0242?
CVE-2023-0242 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Rapid7 Velociraptor, published on 18 Jan 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Official description
Rapid7 Velociraptor allows users to be created with different privileges on the server. Administrators are generally allowed to run any command on the server including writing arbitrary files. However, lower privilege users are generally forbidden from writing or modifying files on the server.
The VQL copy() function applies permission checks for reading files but does not check for permission to write files. This allows a low privilege user (usually, users with the Velociraptor "investigator" role) to overwrite files on the server, including Velociraptor configuration files.
To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must already have a Velociraptor user account at a low privilege level (at least "analyst") and be able to log into the GUI and create a notebook where they can run the VQL query invoking the copy() VQL function. Typically, most users deploy Velociraptor with limited access to a trusted group (most users will be administrators within the GUI). This vulnerability is associated with program files https://github.Com/Velocidex/velociraptor/blob/master/vql/filesystem/copy.go https://github.Com/Velocidex/velociraptor/blob/master/vql/filesystem/copy.go and program routines copy().
This issue affects Velociraptor versions before 0.6.7-5. Version 0.6.7-5, released January 16, 2023, fixes the issue.
Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-0242?
3 open source packages ship an affected version, including www.velocidex.com/golang/velociraptor. It affects 1 product.
| Package | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
www.velocidex.com/golang/velociraptor Go | All versions | 0.6.7-5 |
www.velocidex.com/golang/velociraptor Go | All versions | 0.6.7-5 |
www.velocidex.com/golang/velociraptor Go | All versions | 0.6.7-5 |
Products include Rapid7 Velociraptor.
How do I fix CVE-2023-0242?
Upgrade www.velocidex.com/golang/velociraptor to 0.6.7-5 or later.
Upgrade, and check permissions on every request on the server, not only in the interface. More about Missing authorization.
Is CVE-2023-0242 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-0242 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Rapid7 Velociraptor
- CVE-2023-5950 Rapid7 Velociraptor Reflected XSS
- CVE-2026-5329 Rapid7 Velociraptor Improper Input Validation in Client Message Handler
- CVE-2026-6290 Velociraptor Query() Plugin Misapplies Permissions To Orgs
- CVE-2025-14728 Rapid7 Velociraptor Directory Traversal Vulnerability
- CVE-2022-35630 Unsafe HTML Injection in Artifact Collection Report
Sources
Also known as GHSA-g5vm-525q-r66c, GO-2023-1527.