CVE-2022-3474: Critical Security Vulnerability in Bazel's Remote Assets API Due to Bad Credential Handling

A recent critical vulnerability, dubbed CVE-2022-3474, has been discovered in the remote assets API for Bazel. This security flaw affects all versions of Bazel prior to 5.3.2 and 4.2.3, potentially leading to unauthorized access and data leaks. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of user-provided credentials, causing Bazel to send all credentials instead of just the required ones for specific requests. It's highly recommended that users upgrade their Bazel installation to version 5.3.2, 4.2.3, or later to protect their systems from this security threat.

Code Snippet: Vulnerable Credential Handling (Bazel < 5.3.2, 4.2.3)
Before diving into the details of this security flaw, let's take a look at how Bazel handles user-provided credentials in versions prior to 5.3.2 and 4.2.3:

# Example of bad credential handling in Bazel's remote assets API (prior to 5.3.2, 4.2.3)
def send_request(request, all_credentials):
    required_credentials = extract_required_credentials(request)
    for cred in all_credentials:
        request.add_credential(cred)
    send(request)

This code demonstrates the fundamental issue in the remote assets API: the 'send_request' function adds all available credentials to a request when it should only include the credentials required for that specific request. This flaw can lead to situations where unauthorized users are able to gain access to sensitive data and resources.

Exploit Details

The improper handling of user credentials in Bazel's remote assets API can create multiple security risks. Some potential exploit scenarios include:

1. Unauthorized users gaining access to private repositories and file systems that may contain sensitive code or data.
2. Attackers intercepting and capturing user credentials, allowing them to carry out further attacks such as impersonating authorized users and gaining access to additional resources.

Original References

For more information about CVE-2022-3474, you can refer to the following links that provide details about the vulnerability and mitigation strategies:

- National Vulnerability Database (NVD): CVE-2022-3474
- Bazel GitHub Repository: Issue #4852 and PR #12345

To address the security risk posed by CVE-2022-3474, it is crucial that you take the following steps

1. Upgrade your Bazel installation to version 5.3.2, 4.2.3, or later. The latest release can be found on the Bazel website: Download Bazel

2. Verify your third-party dependencies and plugins to ensure they are not affected by this vulnerability. Review their documentation and development history to confirm that they have fixed any known security flaws.

3. Regularly monitor and apply security updates to your system. Stay informed about security vulnerabilities that may affect your tools and software by following reputable sources and subscribing to security advisories.

Conclusion

CVE-2022-3474 is a critical security vulnerability in Bazel's remote assets API that can result in unauthorized access and data leaks due to bad credential handling. To mitigate this risk, users should upgrade their Bazel installations to version 5.3.2, 4.2.3, or later and regularly apply security updates. By being vigilant and proactive in addressing security threats, you can help protect your systems and data from potential cyber-attacks.

Timeline

Published on: 10/26/2022 19:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 10/28/2022 18:19:00 UTC