CVE-2022-24342 in TeamCity
Summary
by MITRE • 02/25/2022
In JetBrains TeamCity before 2021.2.1, URL injection leading to CSRF was possible.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/03/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-24342 affects JetBrains TeamCity versions prior to 2021.2.1 and represents a critical security flaw involving URL injection that enables cross-site request forgery attacks. This issue stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the application's URL handling mechanisms, creating an avenue for malicious actors to manipulate web requests through crafted URLs. The vulnerability manifests when TeamCity processes user-supplied URLs without adequate security controls, potentially allowing attackers to inject malicious parameters that can be executed within the context of authenticated user sessions. Such URL injection vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where TeamCity serves as a continuous integration and deployment platform, as they can compromise the integrity of automated build processes and access control mechanisms.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability allows attackers to construct malicious URLs that, when clicked by authenticated users, trigger unintended actions within the TeamCity application. This occurs because the system fails to properly validate or sanitize URL parameters before processing them, enabling attackers to inject additional parameters or modify existing ones to manipulate the application's behavior. The flaw specifically affects how TeamCity handles external URL references and internal navigation paths, creating opportunities for attackers to exploit the trust relationship between the application and its users. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and represents a variant of CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) attacks where the injection mechanism provides the initial vector for unauthorized command execution.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-24342 extends beyond simple data theft or modification, as it can enable complete compromise of the TeamCity environment through unauthorized access to build configurations, deployment controls, and sensitive project information. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary commands on the build server, modify project settings, or even gain access to source code repositories that TeamCity integrates with. The implications are particularly severe in continuous integration environments where TeamCity orchestrates automated deployment pipelines, as successful exploitation could lead to supply chain attacks or unauthorized code deployments. Organizations using older TeamCity versions face significant risk of unauthorized access to their development infrastructure, potentially compromising the security of their entire software development lifecycle.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily focus on immediate version upgrades to TeamCity 2021.2.1 or later, which includes proper URL validation and sanitization mechanisms. Organizations should also implement network-level controls such as web application firewalls that can detect and block suspicious URL patterns, particularly those containing unusual parameter sequences or malformed URLs. Additional defensive measures include implementing strict input validation policies, conducting regular security assessments of TeamCity configurations, and establishing monitoring protocols to detect unusual user behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions and implementing comprehensive security controls, particularly for critical infrastructure tools like continuous integration platforms that serve as central points of access for development environments. Organizations should also consider implementing the principle of least privilege for TeamCity users and regularly audit access controls to minimize potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.