CVE-2023-0242
Insufficient permission check in the VQL copy() function
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.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
8.8
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.
- Record
CVE-2023-0242- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269, CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List
8.8
Insufficient permission check in the VQL copy() function
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.
- Record
CVE-2023-0242- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-0469
8.8
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.
- Record
EUVD-2023-0469- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-g5vm-525q-r66c
8.8
Velociraptor vulnerable to Missing Authorization
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.
- Record
GHSA-g5vm-525q-r66c- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269, CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
8.8
Insufficient permission check in the VQL copy() function
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.
- Record
CVE-2023-0242- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-g5vm-525q-r66c
8.8
Velociraptor vulnerable to Missing Authorization
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.
- Record
GHSA-g5vm-525q-r66c- CVSS 3.1
- 8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269, CWE-862
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGO-2023-1527 No score
Velociraptor vulnerable to Missing Authorization in www.velocidex.com/golang/velociraptor
Velociraptor vulnerable to Missing Authorization in www.velocidex.com/golang/velociraptor
- Record
GO-2023-1527- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2024:12916-1 No score
system-user-velociraptor-1.0.0-2.1 on GA media
These are all security issues fixed in the system-user-velociraptor-1.0.0-2.1 package on the GA media of openSUSE Tumbleweed.
- Record
openSUSE-SU-2024:12916-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
www.velocidex.com/golang/velociraptorGo |
before 0.6.7-5 | 0.6.7-5 |
velociraptoropenSUSE:Tumbleweed From an advisory covering 2 CVEs |
before 0.6.7.5~git78.2bef6fc-2.1 | 0.6.7.5~git78.2bef6fc-2.1 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected, facts | ||
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-0242 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.8) in Rapid7 Velociraptor, published January 18, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.56%, the 46th percentile. Fixed in www.velocidex.com/golang/velociraptor 0.6.7-5.
References
docs.velociraptor.app/announcements/2023-cves
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-0242
github.com/advisories/GHSA-g5vm-525q-r66c
github.com/Velocidex/velociraptor
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2023/0xxx/CVE-2023-0242.json
github.com/Velocidex/velociraptor/releases
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-0242
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-0290