CVE-2024-22257 - Broken Access Control in Spring Security Due to Null Authentication Parameter

A new vulnerability, CVE-2024-22257, has been discovered in Spring Security, a widely-used Java library for securing web applications. The vulnerability affects certain versions of the software and can allow attackers to bypass access control mechanisms. The purpose of this post is to provide an in-depth analysis of the vulnerability, including affected versions, code snippets showcasing the issue, links to original references, and exploit details. By following the information provided, developers can ensure their applications are protected against unauthorized access.

Vulnerability Details

The vulnerability exists within the AuthenticatedVoter#vote method in Spring Security when a null Authentication parameter is passed to it. An application is potentially vulnerable to broken access control if it directly uses this method under these particular conditions.

Here is a code snippet demonstrating the issue

public class MyCustomVoter extends AuthenticatedVoter {

    public int vote(Authentication authentication, Object object, Collection<ConfigAttribute> attributes) {
        // Potential issue if authentication is null
        return super.vote(authentication, object, attributes);
    }
}

Attackers might exploit the vulnerability by crafting malicious requests, attempting to bypass access controls in place, and gaining unauthorized access to protected resources within the application.

Exploit Details

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would first need to identify an application directly using AuthenticatedVoter#vote with a null Authentication parameter. Once identified, the attacker can then send a crafted request to the application, attempting to gain unauthorized access to protected resources.

As of yet, there are no known public exploits targeting CVE-2024-22257 specifically. However, developers should not ignore the potential risk this vulnerability poses to their applications.

Mitigation

To mitigate this vulnerability, developers should update Spring Security to the latest version, which includes the fixes for the affected branches:

Original References

Spring Security has provided information on the vulnerability in their release notes and has issued patches for the affected versions. For more information, you can visit their official GitHub repository and check the release notes for each respective version:

- 5.7.12 Release Notes
- 5.8.11 Release Notes
- 6..9 Release Notes
- 6.1.8 Release Notes
- 6.2.3 Release Notes

Conclusion

CVE-2024-22257 is a serious vulnerability that can lead to broken access control in applications using certain versions of Spring Security. By understanding the vulnerability, affected versions, and mitigations, developers can secure their applications against potential exploits. Always keep your software up-to-date and follow best practices for security.

Timeline

Published on: 03/18/2024 15:15:41 UTC
Last modified on: 04/19/2024 07:15:09 UTC