CVE-2022-41923: CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management in grails grails-spring-security-core

Severity: mediumType: vulnerabilityCVE-2022-41923

Grails Spring Security Core plugin is vulnerable to privilege escalation. The vulnerability allows an attacker access to one endpoint (i.e. the targeted endpoint) using the authorization requirements of a different endpoint (i.e. the donor endpoint). In some Grails framework applications, access to the targeted endpoint will be granted based on meeting the authorization requirements of the donor endpoint, which can result in a privilege escalation attack. This vulnerability has been patched in grails-spring-security-core versions 3.3.2, 4.0.5 and 5.1.1. Impacted Applications: Grails Spring Security Core plugin versions: 1.x 2.x >=3.0.0 <3.3.2 >=4.0.0 <4.0.5 >=5.0.0 <5.1.1 We strongly suggest that all Grails framework applications using the Grails Spring Security Core plugin be updated to a patched release of the plugin. Workarounds: Users should create a subclass extending one of the following classes from the `grails.plugin.springsecurity.web.access.intercept` package, depending on their security configuration: * `AnnotationFilterInvocationDefinition` * `InterceptUrlMapFilterInvocationDefinition` * `RequestmapFilterInvocationDefinition` In each case, the subclass should override the `calculateUri` method like so: ``` @Override protected String calculateUri(HttpServletRequest request) { UrlPathHelper.defaultInstance.getRequestUri(request) } ``` This should be considered a temporary measure, as the patched versions of grails-spring-security-core deprecates the `calculateUri` method. Once upgraded to a patched version of the plugin, this workaround is no longer needed. The workaround is especially important for version 2.x, as no patch is available version 2.x of the GSSC plugin.

AI Analysis

Technical Summary

CVE-2022-41923 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management) affecting the Grails Spring Security Core plugin, a widely used security framework component in Grails applications. The vulnerability arises from a flaw in how authorization requirements are enforced on endpoints. Specifically, the plugin erroneously allows an attacker to access a targeted endpoint by satisfying the authorization requirements of a different, donor endpoint. This misalignment in access control logic can lead to privilege escalation, where users gain unauthorized access to resources or operations beyond their intended permissions. The issue affects multiple versions of the plugin, including versions 2.0.0, all 3.x versions prior to 3.3.2, all 4.x versions prior to 4.0.5, and all 5.x versions prior to 5.1.1. The vulnerability is rooted in the method used to calculate the URI for access control decisions, which can be overridden as a temporary workaround by subclassing certain classes in the plugin and overriding the calculateUri method to use a more reliable URI extraction approach. However, the ultimate resolution is to upgrade to patched versions where this method is deprecated and the vulnerability fixed. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, but the potential for privilege escalation makes this a significant security concern for applications relying on the affected plugin versions. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality and integrity by enabling unauthorized access and potential manipulation of protected resources, and may also affect availability if unauthorized users disrupt services.

Potential Impact

For European organizations using Grails framework applications with the vulnerable Spring Security Core plugin versions, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized privilege escalation. This can lead to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion, undermining data confidentiality and integrity. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure that rely on Grails for web applications could face regulatory compliance issues under GDPR if personal or sensitive data is exposed. Additionally, unauthorized access could facilitate further attacks, including lateral movement within networks or disruption of services, impacting availability. The vulnerability's exploitation could damage organizational reputation and result in financial losses due to remediation costs and potential fines. Given the plugin's role in enforcing security policies, the risk is particularly acute for applications that handle sensitive transactions or personal data. The lack of known exploits suggests limited active targeting so far, but the ease of privilege escalation means attackers could develop exploits rapidly once the vulnerability is understood.

Mitigation Recommendations

1. Immediate upgrade to patched versions of the Grails Spring Security Core plugin: 3.3.2 or later for 3.x, 4.0.5 or later for 4.x, and 5.1.1 or later for 5.x versions. This is the definitive fix and should be prioritized. 2. For applications using version 2.x, where no patch is available, implement the recommended workaround by subclassing one of the specified classes (AnnotationFilterInvocationDefinition, InterceptUrlMapFilterInvocationDefinition, or RequestmapFilterInvocationDefinition) and overriding the calculateUri method to use UrlPathHelper.defaultInstance.getRequestUri(request). This reduces the risk of privilege escalation until an upgrade path is possible. 3. Conduct a thorough review of access control configurations and authorization mappings in Grails applications to ensure no unintended access paths exist. 4. Implement enhanced logging and monitoring around authorization failures and unusual access patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts early. 5. Educate development and security teams about the vulnerability and ensure secure coding practices are followed to avoid similar privilege management issues. 6. Consider application-level compensating controls such as additional authorization checks or multi-factor authentication for sensitive endpoints to reduce risk exposure.