CVE-2022-24568 in Novel-plus
Summary
by MITRE • 02/10/2022
Novel-plus v3.6.0 was discovered to be vulnerable to Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) via user-supplied crafted input.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/16/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-24568 affects novel-plus version 3.6.0 and represents a critical Server-Side Request Forgery flaw that enables attackers to manipulate server-side requests through crafted user input. This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of insecure direct object references and allows malicious actors to bypass access controls and potentially gain unauthorized access to internal systems. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's request processing pipeline, creating an attack surface where user-supplied data can be directly interpreted and executed by the server.
The technical implementation of this SSRF vulnerability occurs when the novel-plus application fails to properly validate or sanitize user-provided input before using it in server-side requests. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that exploit this weakness to make unauthorized requests to internal services, databases, or other systems that the server can access. The flaw typically manifests when the application accepts URLs or endpoint specifications from users without proper validation, allowing attackers to redirect requests to internal resources that should remain inaccessible from external networks. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be leveraged to access internal network services, steal sensitive data, or even escalate privileges within the affected environment.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-24568 extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable attackers to perform reconnaissance activities against internal systems, potentially leading to further exploitation opportunities. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain access to internal databases, web services, or other sensitive systems that are normally protected by network segmentation. This weakness directly violates the principle of least privilege and can compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. The vulnerability also aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 for phishing with social engineering and T1071 for application layer protocol usage, as it enables attackers to manipulate application behavior through crafted input. From a CWE perspective, this vulnerability maps to CWE-918 which specifically addresses server-side request forgery vulnerabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-24568 should focus on implementing robust input validation and sanitization measures throughout the application's request handling process. Organizations should deploy strict allowlists for acceptable input values and implement proper URL parsing mechanisms that prevent redirection to internal resources. The recommended approach includes implementing network-level restrictions to prevent the application from making requests to internal IP addresses or specific ports, while also ensuring that all user-supplied URLs are properly validated against a whitelist of trusted domains. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and network segmentation can limit the potential damage from successful exploitation. Security teams should also consider implementing web application firewalls and monitoring mechanisms to detect and prevent suspicious request patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and adhering to security standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST cybersecurity frameworks to prevent similar issues from occurring in future application deployments.