CVE-2022-23799 in Joomla
Summary
by MITRE • 03/30/2022
An issue was discovered in Joomla! 4.0.0 through 4.1.0. Under specific circumstances, JInput pollutes method-specific input bags with $_REQUEST data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/01/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-23799 represents a critical input sanitization flaw within the Joomla applications. The flaw allows malicious actors to potentially inject unauthorized data into method-specific input bags, creating a pathway for various attack vectors including injection attacks and data manipulation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the JInput class processes HTTP request data without proper isolation between different input sources. Specifically, the method-specific input bags that should contain only data relevant to particular HTTP methods become polluted with $_REQUEST data, which aggregates data from GET, POST, and COOKIE parameters. This cross-contamination creates a scenario where an attacker can manipulate input handling by injecting data through one method parameter that then affects processing of another method parameter, effectively bypassing intended input validation and sanitization mechanisms.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability compromises the integrity of Joomla! applications by allowing attackers to potentially manipulate application behavior through crafted input sequences. The pollution of method-specific input bags creates unpredictable application states where legitimate input processing becomes contaminated with malicious data. This issue particularly affects applications that rely on strict input validation for security-critical operations such as user authentication, form processing, and data validation routines. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and represents a significant weakening of the application's defense in depth mechanisms.
The exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to various security consequences including but not limited to parameter tampering, injection attacks, and potential privilege escalation. Attackers can craft requests that manipulate the input bags to bypass security checks, potentially allowing them to execute unauthorized operations or access restricted functionality. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a technique involving input validation manipulation and data tampering, where adversaries exploit application-level flaws to compromise system integrity. Organizations running affected Joomla! versions face increased risk of unauthorized access, data manipulation, and potential complete system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-23799 require immediate patching of affected Joomla instances are updated to the latest stable releases that contain the necessary input sanitization fixes. Additional protective measures include implementing web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious input patterns, conducting thorough input validation at multiple layers of the application architecture, and performing regular security audits to identify potential input handling vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing strict input filtering rules that prevent cross-contamination between different input sources and ensure that method-specific input bags maintain their intended isolation properties. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input sanitization and the potential consequences when application frameworks fail to properly isolate different data sources during processing operations.