CVE-2024-1102: JBeret-Core Logging Vulnerability Exposing Database User Credentials

A security vulnerability has been discovered in the jberet-core library. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-1102, affects jberet-core logging, and could potentially expose sensitive database user credentials, such as the username and password for the database connection. This is a high-severity issue because it might lead to unauthorized access to the target system, data breaches, or other security implications.

Vulnerability Details

The vulnerability lies in the way jberet-core handles logging when an exception occurs in the dbProperties object. The dbProperties object is a part of the jberet-core library and is responsible for managing database connection information, such as the username, password, and connection URLs. When an exception occurs, the library logs the error message including the dbProperties. The problem is that the logged error message may contain sensitive information, such as the username and password for the database connection.

The code snippet below demonstrates the issue

// In the jberet-core library
public class DbProperties {
    private String url;
    private String username;
    private String password;
    //... other attributes

    //... constructors, getters, and setters

    public Connection getConnection() throws SQLException {
        try {
            return DriverManager.getConnection(url, username, password);
        } catch (SQLException e) {
            // Logging the exception along with the dbProperties object
            logger.error("Failed to get connection from DataSource", this, e);
            throw e;
        }
    }

    @Override
    public String toString() {
        return "DbProperties{" +
            ", url='" + url + '\'' +
            ", username='" + username + '\'' +
            ", password='" + password + '\'' + // This line is the critical part
            //... other attributes
        '}';
    }
}

In the DbProperties class, when a call to getConnection() fails with an SQLException, the error message is captured and logged along with the object's state using the toString() method. The problem arises when making a call to toString() since the method returns a string containing the database connection's username and password. Consequently, an attacker who has access to the log files can retrieve sensitive information and gain unauthorized access to the database.

Exploit Details

Currently, there is no known exploit for this vulnerability, but it is highly recommended to address this security issue immediately to prevent potential exploitation. An attacker with access to the log files will not need an exploit, as they can easily read the sensitive data exposed by the vulnerability. This makes the impact of the vulnerability quite high, and a patch should be applied as soon as possible.

Mitigation

The recommended solution is to modify the toString() method of the DbProperties class to exclude sensitive information such as the username and password:

@Override
public String toString() {
    return "DbProperties{" +
        ", url='" + url + '\'' +
        ", username='" + username + '\'' +
        // ", password='" + password + '\'' + // Comment out or remove this line
        //... other attributes
    '}';
}

By implementing this change, sensitive information will not be exposed in log files, mitigating the risk of unauthorized users gaining access to the system.

Original References

1. JBeret GitHub Repository
2. JBeret-Core Library Documentation

Conclusion

The vulnerability in jberet-core logging, tracked as CVE-2024-1102, is a high-severity issue with the potential for exposing database user credentials. It is advised to implement the recommended solution as shown above to mitigate this security risk. Monitor official sources and security mailing lists closely for any updates or patches to address this vulnerability in the future.

Timeline

Published on: 04/25/2024 17:15:47 UTC
Last modified on: 07/03/2024 01:44:59 UTC