CVE-2018-19361 in jackson-databind
Summary
by MITRE
FasterXML jackson-databind 2.x before 2.9.8 might allow attackers to have unspecified impact by leveraging failure to block the openjpa class from polymorphic deserialization.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-19361 affects FasterXML jackson-databind version 2.x before 2.9.8, representing a critical security flaw in JSON processing libraries widely used across enterprise applications. This vulnerability stems from insufficient validation during polymorphic deserialization operations, specifically failing to properly block the openjpa class from being instantiated during object reconstruction. The issue creates a dangerous pathway for attackers to exploit deserialization mechanisms, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or other unspecified security impacts. The root cause lies in the library's inability to effectively restrict which classes can be deserialized, particularly those belonging to the openjpa framework that may contain malicious payloads.
The technical flaw manifests when jackson-databind processes serialized JSON data containing references to openjpa classes that should be blocked during deserialization. This failure allows attackers to craft malicious payloads that, when processed by the vulnerable library, can trigger unintended behavior. The vulnerability operates at the core of Java's object serialization and deserialization mechanisms, where the library should enforce strict class loading restrictions but fails to do so for certain openjpa components. This weakness specifically impacts polymorphic deserialization scenarios where the system attempts to deserialize objects without proper type validation, creating a vector for remote code execution or information disclosure attacks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across numerous applications and systems that rely on jackson-databind for JSON processing, including web applications, APIs, and backend services. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary code on affected systems, potentially gaining complete control over the target environment. The unspecified nature of the impact reflects the broad range of possible consequences, from simple denial of service to full system compromise, depending on the specific implementation and environment. Organizations using vulnerable versions face significant risk as the attack surface includes any system that accepts JSON input from untrusted sources and utilizes the affected jackson-databind library.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-19361 primarily focus on upgrading to jackson-databind version 2.9.8 or later, which includes proper restrictions on openjpa class loading during deserialization. Security teams should also implement additional protective measures such as configuring deserialization white lists, disabling polymorphic deserialization where possible, and employing application firewalls to filter suspicious JSON payloads. Organizations must conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all systems using affected library versions and establish monitoring protocols to detect potential exploitation attempts. The fix addresses the core issue by implementing proper class filtering mechanisms that prevent unauthorized instantiation of openjpa classes during deserialization processes. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-502, which covers deserialization of untrusted data, and represents a common attack pattern documented in MITRE ATT&CK framework under the technique of deserialization of untrusted data.