CVE-2022-22774 in Managed File Transfer Command Center
Summary
by MITRE • 05/10/2022
The DOM XML parser and SAX XML parser components of TIBCO Software Inc.'s TIBCO Managed File Transfer Command Center, TIBCO Managed File Transfer Command Center, TIBCO Managed File Transfer Internet Server, and TIBCO Managed File Transfer Internet Server contains an easily exploitable vulnerability that allows an unauthenticated attacker with network access to execute XML External Entity (XXE) attacks on the affected system. Affected releases are TIBCO Software Inc.'s TIBCO Managed File Transfer Command Center: versions 8.3.1 and below, TIBCO Managed File Transfer Command Center: versions 8.4.0 and 8.4.1, TIBCO Managed File Transfer Internet Server: versions 8.3.1 and below, and TIBCO Managed File Transfer Internet Server: versions 8.4.0 and 8.4.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-22774 represents a critical security flaw in TIBCO Software Inc.'s Managed File Transfer products, specifically affecting the DOM XML parser and SAX XML parser components. This weakness exists within the Command Center and Internet Server variants of the TIBCO Managed File Transfer suite, creating a pathway for unauthorized attackers to exploit XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerabilities without requiring authentication. The affected versions span multiple release lines including 8.3.1 and earlier, as well as 8.4.0 and 8.4.1 versions, indicating a widespread impact across the product's lifecycle.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation within the XML parsing mechanisms of the affected TIBCO components. When processing XML data, the parsers fail to properly sanitize external entity references, allowing attackers to craft malicious XML payloads that can trigger XXE attacks. This flaw operates at the parser level where external entity declarations can reference remote resources or local files, enabling various attack vectors including file disclosure, server-side request forgery, and denial of service conditions. The vulnerability's ease of exploitation means that attackers can leverage simple network-based attacks to achieve significant system compromise.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses substantial risk to organizations relying on TIBCO Managed File Transfer systems for critical data exchange operations. An unauthenticated attacker with network access can potentially read sensitive files from the server filesystem, access internal network resources through server-side requests, or cause system resource exhaustion through malicious XXE payloads. The impact extends beyond immediate data compromise to potential system availability disruption and lateral movement opportunities within the network infrastructure. Organizations utilizing these components for file transfer operations may experience unauthorized data access, regulatory compliance violations, and operational disruptions that could affect business continuity.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-611 (Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference) and maps to ATT&CK technique T1213.002 (Data from Information Repositories) and T1071.004 (Application Layer Protocol: DNS) for exploitation methods. Organizations should immediately apply vendor-provided patches and updates to address this vulnerability, implement network segmentation to limit access to affected systems, and monitor for suspicious network activity. Additional mitigations include configuring XML parsers to disable external entity resolution, implementing proper input validation for all XML processing components, and establishing network-based intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of XML security controls in enterprise applications and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of parsing components in mission-critical systems.