CVE-2022-23655 in October
Summary
by MITRE • 02/24/2022
Octobercms is a self-hosted CMS platform based on the Laravel PHP Framework. Affected versions of OctoberCMS did not validate gateway server signatures. As a result non-authoritative gateway servers may be used to exfiltrate user private keys. Users are advised to upgrade their installations to build 474 or v1.1.10. The only known workaround is to manually apply the patch (e3b455ad587282f0fbcb7763c6d9c3d000ca1e6a) which adds server signature validation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/26/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-23655 affects OctoberCMS, a self-hosted content management platform built upon the Laravel PHP framework. This security flaw represents a critical validation failure in the platform's gateway server handling mechanisms, specifically targeting the absence of proper signature verification for gateway communications. The vulnerability stems from the platform's failure to validate server signatures, creating an exploitable condition that allows malicious actors to manipulate gateway server configurations. This weakness directly impacts the integrity of the communication channels between the CMS and its gateway services, potentially enabling unauthorized entities to masquerade as legitimate servers within the system architecture. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-347, which addresses improper certificate validation and signature verification failures in security-critical systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs at the gateway server validation layer within OctoberCMS's communication protocols. When the platform processes requests through gateway servers, it fails to perform cryptographic signature verification on incoming server responses, allowing any server to present itself as an authoritative gateway without proper authentication. This validation gap creates a trust relationship that can be exploited by attackers who gain access to the network or can intercept communications between the CMS and its gateway infrastructure. The flaw essentially removes the cryptographic assurance that legitimate servers can be distinguished from malicious impostors, undermining the platform's security model and potentially enabling man-in-the-middle attacks or unauthorized access to sensitive system components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data integrity concerns, as it specifically targets the protection of user private keys within the OctoberCMS environment. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can potentially exfiltrate private cryptographic keys that are critical for maintaining secure communications and user authentication within the platform. This represents a significant risk to user privacy and system security, as compromised private keys could enable attackers to impersonate legitimate users, decrypt sensitive communications, or gain unauthorized access to protected resources. The vulnerability particularly affects installations running versions prior to build 474 or v1.1.10, where the necessary signature validation mechanisms were not yet implemented, making these versions especially vulnerable to exploitation.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate upgrading of affected installations to build 474 or version 1.1.10, which contain the necessary signature validation patches. This upgrade addresses the root cause of the vulnerability by implementing proper cryptographic verification mechanisms for gateway server communications. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing the manual patch e3b455ad587282f0fbcb7763c6d9c3d000ca1e6a, which specifically adds server signature validation to the platform's security architecture. Organizations should also review their network configurations and implement additional monitoring to detect unauthorized gateway server activity, particularly in environments where multiple gateway servers are configured. The vulnerability's remediation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566, which involves social engineering and credential access through compromised infrastructure, making proactive patch management essential for preventing exploitation.