CVE-2018-1335 in Tika
Summary
by MITRE
From Apache Tika versions 1.7 to 1.17, clients could send carefully crafted headers to tika-server that could be used to inject commands into the command line of the server running tika-server. This vulnerability only affects those running tika-server on a server that is open to untrusted clients. The mitigation is to upgrade to Tika 1.18.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/13/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2018-1335 represents a critical command injection flaw within Apache Tika server implementations. This security weakness existed across a significant range of Tika versions from 1.7 through 1.17, creating a substantial window of exposure for affected systems. The vulnerability specifically targets the tika-server component which serves as a document processing service capable of handling various file formats and extracting content from them. When deployed in environments where the server accepts connections from untrusted clients, this flaw becomes particularly dangerous as it allows malicious actors to craft specific HTTP headers that can be interpreted and executed as command line instructions on the underlying server system.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the tika-server's header processing logic. Attackers can exploit this weakness by sending specially crafted HTTP headers that contain command injection payloads. These payloads are then processed by the server's command execution mechanisms, potentially allowing remote code execution with the privileges of the tika-server process. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and specifically targets the server's ability to handle HTTP headers, making it a classic example of a command injection attack vector that leverages improper handling of user-supplied data. This flaw aligns with CWE-77 which categorizes command injection vulnerabilities as those where untrusted data is used to construct command strings without proper validation or escaping.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple data compromise, as it can lead to complete system compromise when exploited by malicious actors. Systems running vulnerable versions of tika-server become potential entry points for attackers seeking to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within their network infrastructure. The vulnerability's exploitation requires only network access to the tika-server endpoint, making it particularly dangerous in environments where such services are exposed to the internet or untrusted networks. Organizations relying on tika-server for document processing and content extraction face significant risk of unauthorized access, data exfiltration, and potential lateral movement within their network infrastructure. The attack surface is further expanded when considering that many organizations deploy tika-server in cloud environments or as part of larger document management systems where the impact of a successful exploitation can be catastrophic.
Mitigation of this vulnerability requires immediate action to upgrade to Apache Tika version 1.18 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the command injection flaw. This upgrade process should be carefully planned and tested to ensure compatibility with existing applications and workflows that depend on tika-server functionality. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of tika-server instances to only trusted clients. The remediation process should include thorough testing of the updated version to verify that document processing functionality remains intact while eliminating the command injection vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network monitoring and intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts, as the attack pattern involves specific header manipulation that can be detected through proper network traffic analysis. This vulnerability exemplifies the importance of regular security updates and proper input validation in preventing critical remote code execution flaws that can compromise entire systems. The remediation strategy should also include reviewing and hardening the server configuration to minimize the attack surface and implementing proper access controls to prevent unauthorized access to the document processing service.