CVE-2022-46831 is a security vulnerability identified in JetBrains TeamCity versions 2022.10 and 2022.10.1. TeamCity is a widely used continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) server that automates build, test, and deployment processes. The vulnerability arises from improper access control related to the use of the AWS Default Credential Provider Chain within TeamCity. Specifically, project administrators in TeamCity were able to connect to AWS resources using the Default Credential Provider Chain, which inadvertently granted them access privileges typically reserved for system administrators. This issue is classified under CWE-453, which pertains to improper check for dropped privileges, indicating that the system failed to correctly enforce privilege boundaries between different user roles. The flaw allows project administrators to escalate their privileges within the AWS environment, potentially accessing or manipulating AWS resources beyond their intended scope. Although no public exploits have been reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a risk due to the sensitive nature of AWS credentials and the critical role of TeamCity in software delivery pipelines. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on December 8, 2022, and no official patches or updates were linked in the provided information, suggesting that mitigation may require configuration changes or updates from JetBrains. The issue affects only the specified versions, and later versions presumably address this privilege escalation risk. The vulnerability does not require external authentication beyond project administrator access, but it does require that an attacker already have project administrator privileges within TeamCity, which may limit the initial attack surface but still represents a significant risk if such access is obtained.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-46831 can be significant, especially for those heavily reliant on JetBrains TeamCity for their CI/CD workflows and AWS for cloud infrastructure. Unauthorized access to AWS resources by project administrators could lead to unauthorized data access, modification, or deletion, potentially compromising confidentiality, integrity, and availability of critical cloud-hosted applications and data. This could disrupt software delivery pipelines, delay deployments, and cause operational downtime. Additionally, misuse of AWS privileges could lead to financial losses due to resource abuse or data breaches, which would also have regulatory implications under GDPR and other European data protection laws. The risk is particularly acute for organizations with complex AWS environments where fine-grained access control is essential. Since the vulnerability allows privilege escalation within AWS, attackers could pivot to other parts of the cloud infrastructure, increasing the attack surface. Although exploitation requires existing project administrator access, insider threats or compromised credentials could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the potential for targeted attacks, especially in high-value sectors such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure prevalent in Europe.

1. Upgrade TeamCity to a version later than 2022.10.1 where this vulnerability is addressed, as JetBrains likely released patches or mitigations after disclosure. 2. Restrict the assignment of project administrator roles strictly to trusted personnel and regularly audit role assignments to minimize the risk of privilege abuse. 3. Review and tighten AWS IAM policies associated with TeamCity integrations to enforce least privilege principles, ensuring that even if credentials are misused, the scope of access is limited. 4. Disable or avoid using the AWS Default Credential Provider Chain within TeamCity configurations if possible, or replace it with explicit, scoped credentials with minimal permissions. 5. Implement monitoring and alerting on unusual AWS API calls or privilege escalations originating from TeamCity service accounts. 6. Conduct regular security reviews of CI/CD pipeline configurations and credentials management practices to detect and remediate privilege escalation risks. 7. Educate development and operations teams about the risks of over-privileged roles within CI/CD tools and cloud environments to foster a security-aware culture.