CVE-2022-44942 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Casdoor versions prior to v1.126.1. Casdoor is an open-source identity and access management (IAM) platform that provides authentication and authorization services. The vulnerability arises from an arbitrary file deletion flaw within the uploadFile function. Specifically, this vulnerability is categorized under CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory), which typically involves path traversal issues allowing attackers to manipulate file paths. In this case, an attacker with at least low-level privileges (PR:L) but no user interaction (UI:N) can remotely exploit the vulnerability over the network (AV:N) with low attack complexity (AC:L). The exploit allows the attacker to delete arbitrary files on the server where Casdoor is hosted, impacting the integrity and availability of the system. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.1, reflecting high severity due to the potential for significant disruption. The vulnerability does not affect confidentiality directly but can lead to denial of service or disruption of critical files, undermining system integrity and availability. No public exploits have been reported in the wild as of the published date, and no official patches or vendor advisories are linked, indicating that organizations must proactively update to version 1.126.1 or later once available or apply mitigations to prevent exploitation. The vulnerability requires the attacker to have some level of privileges, which suggests that initial access controls or compromised credentials could be leveraged to exploit this flaw. Given the nature of the vulnerability, it is critical for organizations using Casdoor to assess their exposure and remediate promptly to avoid potential service disruptions or data loss caused by unauthorized file deletions.

For European organizations utilizing Casdoor for identity and access management, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to operational continuity and data integrity. Arbitrary file deletion can lead to the removal of critical configuration files, authentication data, or application components, potentially causing service outages or degraded security postures. This can disrupt business processes reliant on IAM services, including access to internal applications and cloud resources. The impact is particularly severe for sectors with stringent availability and integrity requirements, such as financial services, healthcare, and government institutions. Additionally, the exploitation of this vulnerability could facilitate further attacks by disabling security controls or deleting audit logs, complicating incident response efforts. Given the remote network exploitability and low complexity, attackers could leverage this vulnerability as part of a broader attack chain, especially if initial access is gained through credential compromise or insider threats. The absence of user interaction requirements further increases the risk of automated exploitation attempts. Consequently, European organizations face potential operational disruptions, increased risk of data loss, and challenges in maintaining compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR if this vulnerability is exploited.

1. Immediate upgrade to Casdoor version 1.126.1 or later once the patch is officially released to ensure the vulnerability is fully addressed. 2. Until patches are applied, implement strict access controls limiting who can invoke the uploadFile function, ensuring only trusted and authenticated users with a legitimate need have such privileges. 3. Employ application-layer filtering or web application firewalls (WAFs) to detect and block suspicious file path manipulations or unauthorized file deletion attempts targeting the uploadFile endpoint. 4. Conduct thorough auditing and monitoring of file system changes on servers running Casdoor to detect anomalous deletions promptly. 5. Use network segmentation to isolate IAM services from less trusted network zones, reducing the attack surface. 6. Enforce strong credential hygiene and multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of privilege escalation or initial access by attackers. 7. Regularly back up critical configuration and data files related to Casdoor to enable rapid recovery in case of deletion or tampering. 8. Review and harden server file system permissions to restrict the ability of the Casdoor process to delete files outside designated directories. 9. Engage in proactive threat hunting for indicators of compromise related to this vulnerability, especially if Casdoor is deployed in production environments.