CVE-2023-33226
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedThe Network Configuration Manager was susceptible to a Directory Traversal Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows a low-level user to perform the actions with SYSTEM privileges.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceThe Network Configuration Manager contains a directory traversal vulnerability that allows authenticated low-privilege users to escape the intended directory boundaries and execute arbitrary code on the underlying system. Combined with the privilege escalation to SYSTEM-level access, an attacker can gain full control of the affected server.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 2023.4CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify the installed version of Solarwinds Network Configuration ManagerLocate the NCM installation directory and check the version information, typically found in the application about page, installer files, or registry entries for the Solarwinds productAffected if The installed version is any version prior to 2023.4 (for example, 2023.3.x, 2023.2.x, or earlier releases)
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Verify if the NCM web interface or API is accessible to authenticated usersConfirm that the web-based management interface is enabled and accessible, then check which user accounts have valid login credentialsAffected if Low-privilege authenticated users can access the NCM web interface or API features that handle file operations
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Determine the service account privileges for the NCM applicationCheck the Windows service properties for the Solarwinds NCM service to identify the logon account, or examine process privileges if the application runs as a standalone processAffected if The application service runs under SYSTEM account or another highly privileged account rather than a limited service account
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Inspect available file transfer or configuration upload featuresReview the NCM administrative interface for features that allow file uploads, configuration transfers, or file system operations accessible to standard usersAffected if Authenticated low-privilege users have access to file operation features without additional authorization checks
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Examine application logs for directory traversal patternsReview NCM log files for entries containing sequences like ../, ..\, or unusual path patterns in file operation requestsAffected if Logs contain any directory traversal attempt patterns or evidence of unauthorized path access from user accounts
You are affected if your installed Solarwinds Network Configuration Manager version is before 2023.4 and low-privilege authenticated users can access file operation features in the application.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor data2023.4
Implement strict input validation on all file path parameters to prevent directory traversal sequences (e.g., ../). Apply the principle of least privilege to limit user permissions, and ensure the application runs with minimal necessary privileges rather than SYSTEM-level access.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $6,176.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-33226 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-33226 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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