CVE-2022-0990 in Calibre-Web
Summary
by MITRE • 04/04/2022
Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) in GitHub repository janeczku/calibre-web prior to 0.6.18.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/19/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-0990 represents a critical server-side request forgery flaw discovered in the janeczku/calibre-web repository software. This particular implementation affects versions prior to 0.6.18 and exposes the application to potential remote exploitation by malicious actors who can manipulate server-side requests to access internal resources that should remain restricted. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user-supplied input that is processed by the application's backend services, creating an avenue for attackers to bypass intended access controls and potentially gain unauthorized access to internal systems or sensitive data.
The technical implementation of this SSRF vulnerability occurs within the calibre-web application's handling of external resource requests, where user-provided URLs or resource identifiers are not properly sanitized or validated before being processed by the server. This flaw allows attackers to craft malicious requests that can cause the server to make unintended connections to internal services or external malicious endpoints. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-918 which specifically addresses server-side request forgery conditions where applications fail to properly validate and sanitize user input that is used to construct requests to external resources. Attackers can exploit this weakness by providing crafted URLs that point to internal network services or by redirecting requests to malicious external servers, potentially enabling them to access sensitive information or perform unauthorized operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can enable attackers to perform reconnaissance activities against internal network infrastructure, access internal APIs or services that are typically isolated from external access, and potentially escalate their privileges within the affected environment. The implications are particularly severe in environments where calibre-web is deployed alongside other internal services, as the vulnerability could allow attackers to move laterally within the network or access sensitive backend systems that store user credentials, configuration data, or other confidential information. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which covers the use of server-side request forgery to gain access to internal resources, and T1071.004 which addresses application layer protocol manipulation through web services.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-0990 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems to version 0.6.18 or later, which contains the necessary fixes to prevent unauthenticated access to internal resources. Organizations should implement strict input validation mechanisms that filter and sanitize all user-supplied URLs and resource identifiers before processing them within the application. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be configured to restrict outbound connections from the calibre-web server to prevent lateral movement and limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and monitoring mechanisms can help detect anomalous request patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for and block suspicious requests targeting the vulnerable application components. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of validating all external input and implementing proper access controls to prevent unauthorized access to internal resources through server-side request forgery attacks.