CVE-2022-1592 in scout
Summary
by MITRE • 05/05/2022
Server-Side Request Forgery in scout in GitHub repository clinical-genomics/scout prior to v4.42. An attacker could make the application perform arbitrary requests to fishing steal cookie, request to private area, or lead to xss...
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-1592 represents a critical server-side request forgery flaw within the scout application hosted on GitHub at clinical-genomics/scout. This issue affects versions prior to v4.42 and stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that allow malicious actors to manipulate the application's request handling behavior. The vulnerability manifests when the application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied parameters that are subsequently used to construct HTTP requests to external resources, creating an attack surface where unauthorized operations can be executed on behalf of the application.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability falls under CWE-918, which specifically addresses server-side request forgery conditions where applications fail to validate and sanitize external resource requests. The flaw enables attackers to craft malicious requests that bypass normal access controls and authentication mechanisms, potentially allowing unauthorized access to internal systems or sensitive data. When an attacker exploits this vulnerability, they can force the scout application to make requests to internal network resources that would normally be inaccessible from the external internet, effectively creating a tunnel through the application's security boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft to include potential privilege escalation and lateral movement within network environments. Attackers can leverage this flaw to access private areas of the application, steal session cookies, and potentially execute cross-site scripting attacks against authenticated users. The implications are particularly severe in healthcare and genomics environments where scout applications are often used to manage sensitive patient data and research information. The vulnerability creates a pathway for attackers to bypass standard network segmentation and access internal systems that should remain protected from external exposure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-1592 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation and sanitization controls within the scout application. Organizations should immediately upgrade to version 4.42 or later where the vulnerability has been patched. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict allowlists for external resource requests, deploying web application firewalls to monitor and block suspicious patterns, and establishing robust network segmentation to limit lateral movement capabilities. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application, highlighting the importance of proper access controls and regular security assessments. Organizations should also implement continuous monitoring solutions to detect anomalous request patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, while ensuring that all external resource interactions are properly logged and audited to maintain compliance with healthcare data protection regulations.