CVE-2019-3797 in Spring Data JPA
Summary
by MITRE
This affects Spring Data JPA in versions up to and including 2.1.5, 2.0.13 and 1.11.19. Derived queries using any of the predicates ?startingWith?, ?endingWith? or ?containing? could return more results than anticipated when a maliciously crafted query parameter value is supplied. Also, LIKE expressions in manually defined queries could return unexpected results if the parameter values bound did not have escaped reserved characters properly.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/12/2023
Spring Data JPA vulnerability CVE-2019-3797 represents a significant security flaw in the popular data access framework that affects versions up to 2.1.5, 2.0.13, and 1.11.19. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of query parameter values in derived queries and manually defined queries, creating potential for information disclosure and unauthorized data access. The flaw specifically impacts the ?startingWith?, ?endingWith?, and ?containing? predicates which are commonly used for pattern matching operations in database queries. When maliciously crafted parameter values are provided, these predicates fail to properly sanitize input, leading to query injection-like behavior where additional results are returned beyond what the application logic intends. The vulnerability operates at the intersection of application logic and database query construction, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited without direct database access or elevated privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability relies on the framework's insufficient escaping of special characters in LIKE expressions and parameter binding operations. When developers use derived queries with the affected predicates, the Spring Data JPA framework does not properly escape SQL reserved characters such as percent signs, underscores, and backslashes in the parameter values. This results in unexpected query behavior where the LIKE operator interprets these characters as pattern matching operators rather than literal characters. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-89 as SQL injection, though it specifically manifests in the context of ORM framework query generation rather than direct SQL statement construction. The flaw demonstrates a classic case of improper input validation and sanitization in the query building process, where parameter values flow directly into database queries without adequate protection against special character interpretation.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-3797 extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable unauthorized data access and privilege escalation within applications that utilize Spring Data JPA. Attackers can craft malicious input values that cause the application to return sensitive data beyond the intended query scope, effectively bypassing access controls and data filtering mechanisms. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in applications where user input directly influences query parameters, as it allows attackers to probe database structures and extract information that should remain hidden. The attack surface is broad given that Spring Data JPA is widely adopted across enterprise applications, making this vulnerability potentially exploitable in numerous production environments. The impact is exacerbated by the fact that the vulnerability is silent in nature, meaning that applications may appear to function normally while unknowingly returning additional data, making detection difficult without proper monitoring and testing procedures.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including upgrading to patched versions of Spring Data JPA where available, as the vulnerability was addressed in subsequent releases. Security teams should conduct comprehensive code reviews to identify all usages of the affected predicates and manually defined queries that might be vulnerable. Additional defensive measures include implementing proper input validation and sanitization at the application level, ensuring that all user-supplied parameters are properly escaped before being used in database queries. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1071.004 Application Layer Protocol and T1213 Data from Information Repositories, highlighting the reconnaissance and data extraction capabilities that attackers can leverage. Organizations should also consider implementing database query monitoring and logging to detect anomalous query patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while establishing proper security testing procedures including fuzz testing of query parameters to identify similar vulnerabilities in custom implementations.