CVE-2019-9944 in OMERO.server
Summary
by MITRE
In Open Microscopy Environment OMERO.server 5.0.0 through 5.6.0, the reading of files from imported image filesets may circumvent OMERO permissions restrictions. This occurs because the Bio-Formats feature allows an image file to have embedded pathnames.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/24/2020
The vulnerability described in CVE-2019-9944 affects the Open Microscopy Environment OMERO.server software version range from 5.0.0 through 5.6.0, representing a critical access control flaw that undermines the permission model designed to protect sensitive biological imaging data. This issue stems from how OMERO handles file imports and path resolution during image processing operations. The core technical flaw lies in the Bio-Formats library integration which permits image files to contain embedded pathnames within their metadata or file structures. When OMERO processes these imported image filesets, it fails to properly sanitize or validate these embedded paths, creating an avenue for unauthorized file access that bypasses the intended permission controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations handling sensitive biological research data, particularly in academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and medical research facilities where data integrity and access control are paramount. Attackers could exploit this weakness to access image files that should be restricted to specific user groups or roles, potentially exposing confidential research data, patient information, or proprietary scientific findings. The vulnerability specifically targets the permission enforcement mechanisms within OMERO's server component, where the software's security model relies on proper file path validation and access control. This flaw represents a classic path traversal vulnerability that has been documented in various security frameworks including CWE-22 Path Traversal and CWE-23 Relative Path Traversal, which are commonly referenced in security assessments and penetration testing procedures.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to have some level of access to the OMERO server to import malicious image files containing embedded paths, but once successful, allows for arbitrary file reading beyond normal access restrictions. This weakness particularly affects environments where multiple researchers or institutions share the same OMERO server instance, as it could enable cross-contamination of data access between different research groups or projects. Organizations implementing OMERO for storing and sharing biological imaging data must consider the implications of this vulnerability when establishing their data governance and access control policies, as it fundamentally undermines the trust model that the software's permission system is designed to maintain. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access, as it allows unauthorized access to files that should remain protected by the system's access controls.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to OMERO server versions that have addressed this vulnerability, typically those beyond version 5.6.0 where the embedded path handling has been properly sanitized. System administrators should also implement additional monitoring for unusual file access patterns and consider implementing network-level restrictions on file import operations. The fix typically involves proper validation and sanitization of embedded paths during the Bio-Formats processing phase, ensuring that file access operations are properly scoped to the intended user permissions. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of their OMERO installations to identify any potentially compromised data access scenarios and implement proper access control reviews for all imported image filesets. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in security-critical applications and highlights the need for thorough security testing of third-party library integrations within enterprise software solutions.