CVE-2022-31176 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-200, indicating exposure of sensitive information to unauthorized actors within the Grafana Image Renderer plugin. Grafana Image Renderer is a backend plugin used by Grafana to convert dashboards and panels into PNG images via a headless Chromium/Chrome browser. The vulnerability arises from improper access controls that allow malicious users to retrieve unauthorized files under certain network conditions or by leveraging a fake datasource, provided the attacker has administrative permissions within Grafana. This flaw essentially enables unauthorized file disclosure, potentially exposing sensitive configuration files, credentials, or other internal data stored on the server hosting Grafana. The vulnerability affects all versions of the grafana-image-renderer plugin prior to 3.6.0. The recommended remediation is to upgrade to version 3.6.1 or later, which addresses this issue. As a temporary workaround, disabling HTTP remote rendering can mitigate the risk by preventing remote rendering requests that could exploit this vulnerability. Notably, exploitation requires administrative privileges in Grafana or specific network conditions, limiting the attack surface to users with elevated access or those able to manipulate network traffic. There are no known exploits in the wild as of the published date, but the vulnerability's nature warrants prompt attention due to the potential exposure of sensitive internal files.

For European organizations, the exposure of sensitive files via this vulnerability could lead to significant confidentiality breaches. Sensitive information such as internal configuration files, authentication credentials, or proprietary data could be disclosed, facilitating further attacks like privilege escalation, lateral movement, or data exfiltration. Organizations relying on Grafana for monitoring critical infrastructure, industrial control systems, or business intelligence dashboards may face operational risks if attackers leverage disclosed information to disrupt services or manipulate monitoring data. Given that exploitation requires administrative access or specific network conditions, insider threats or compromised admin accounts pose a heightened risk. The impact on integrity and availability is indirect but possible if attackers use disclosed information to compromise Grafana or related systems. The vulnerability could also undermine trust in monitoring systems, affecting compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR if personal or sensitive data is exposed. Overall, the threat primarily affects confidentiality but can have cascading effects on operational security and regulatory compliance.

1. Immediate upgrade of the grafana-image-renderer plugin to version 3.6.1 or later is essential to fully remediate the vulnerability. 2. Restrict administrative access to Grafana strictly, employing strong authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) and role-based access controls to minimize the risk of privileged account compromise. 3. Disable HTTP remote rendering in Grafana configurations as a temporary mitigation to prevent exploitation via remote rendering requests. 4. Monitor network traffic for unusual requests to the image renderer endpoints, especially those attempting to access unauthorized files or using suspicious datasources. 5. Conduct internal audits of Grafana user permissions and datasource configurations to detect and remove any unauthorized or suspicious entries. 6. Implement network segmentation and firewall rules to limit access to Grafana servers and the image renderer plugin, reducing exposure to untrusted networks. 7. Regularly review and update Grafana and its plugins as part of patch management processes to ensure timely application of security updates. 8. Educate administrators about the risks of granting excessive permissions and the importance of securing Grafana environments.