In the realm of web applications, developers often utilize libraries or frameworks to streamline and simplify code. One such library is Feathers, a popular choice for building real-time applications, APIs, and much more. However, the recent discovery of the CVE-2022-29822 vulnerability has put the security of Feathers into question, as improper parameter filtering may lead to the dangerous exposure of SQL injection attacks.

This post will dive deep into the details of this vulnerability, discussing the root cause, sample code snippets, links to original references, and ultimately, how an attacker could exploit this newfound weakness.

The Vulnerability

CVE-2022-29822 is centered on the Feathers js library, specifically its apparent failure to properly filter parameters. This oversight allows an attacker to craft a malicious input that will be interpreted by the SQL database API in unintended ways, leading to possible SQL injection attacks.

Code Snippet

To better understand the vulnerability, let's examine this simple code snippet made with the Feathers js library.

const feathers = require('@feathersjs/feathers');
const express = require('@feathersjs/express');
const app = express(feathers());
const Sequelize = require('sequelize');
const service = require('feathers-sequelize');

const sequelize = new Sequelize('database', 'username', 'password', {
  dialect: 'sqlite'
});

const User = sequelize.define('user', {
  email: {
    type: Sequelize.STRING,
    allowNull: false,
    unique: true
  }
});

app.use('/users', service({
  Model: User,
  paginate: {
    default: 5,
    max: 25
  }
}));

app.listen(300);

This example sets up an API server with SQLite-based user management via Feathers, Sequelize, and an '/users' endpoint. Unfortunately, due to improper parameter filtering, an attacker can inject malicious SQL queries, such as the following:

POST /users HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "email": "' OR 1=1--"
}

This seemingly innocuous email address has an innocent, yet deceptive OR clause in the SQL syntax that will return results from any query where a value is equal to 1. This can lead to potentially sensitive data being exposed or, worse, modified or deleted.

Original References

You can explore the documentation and various reports involving the Feathers js library and the CVE-2022-29822 vulnerability through these helpful resources:

1. Feathers Library: https://feathersjs.com/
2. Sequelize: https://sequelize.org/
3. NVD - CVE-2022-29822: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-29822
4. GitHub Repository: https://github.com/feathersjs/feathers

Exploit Details

By exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker can manipulate the database's behavior by injecting malicious SQL queries. This can lead to even graver consequences such as the exposure or modification of sensitive data, performing administrative tasks (such as creating or dropping tables), and potentially an even deeper breach into the target's ecosystem to execute further attacks.

Conclusion

CVE-2022-29822 is a clear reminder that even the most popular libraries and frameworks are susceptible to vulnerabilities. The improper parameter filtering in the Feathers js library ultimately exposes the risk of SQL injection attacks, which can have devastating consequences. Developers relying on Feathers should be cautious, and those affected should ensure they are utilizing updated and properly secured versions of the library to avoid such security pitfalls.

Timeline

Published on: 10/26/2022 10:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 02/28/2023 19:06:00 UTC