CVE-2022-25264 in TeamCity
Summary
by MITRE • 02/25/2022
In JetBrains TeamCity before 2021.2.3, environment variables of the "password" type could be logged in some cases.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/03/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-25264 represents a critical security flaw in JetBrains TeamCity versions prior to 2021.2.3 where environment variables designated with the "password" type could be inadvertently logged during system operations. This issue falls under the broader category of insecure logging practices that can expose sensitive authentication credentials and system access tokens. The vulnerability specifically affects the configuration management system within TeamCity where developers and administrators define environment variables for build processes and deployment configurations. When these variables are marked as password type, the system should ideally mask or sanitize their values in log outputs, but the flaw allowed these sensitive values to be written to log files and system outputs.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and logging controls within the TeamCity environment variable handling mechanism. Environment variables in CI/CD systems often contain critical information such as API keys, database passwords, and service account credentials that are essential for automated build and deployment processes. The system's failure to properly filter or mask password-type variables during logging operations creates a direct pathway for sensitive data exposure. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-209, which addresses information exposure through logging, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for credential access through credential dumping. The flaw demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the system's security posture where the principle of least privilege and data protection principles are not properly enforced during logging operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential exposure to encompass potential system compromise and unauthorized access to development environments. When password-type environment variables are logged, attackers who gain access to system logs can extract authentication credentials, service account tokens, and other sensitive information that could be used for lateral movement within the organization's infrastructure. This risk is particularly severe in continuous integration and deployment environments where multiple systems and services rely on these credentials for automated operations. The exposure could lead to unauthorized code deployments, data breaches, and compromise of the entire CI/CD pipeline. Organizations using affected TeamCity versions face significant risk of credential theft and potential unauthorized access to their development and production systems, especially when these systems interact with external services and databases that require authentication.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-25264 require immediate patching of TeamCity installations to version 2021.2.3 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for proper environment variable sanitization during logging operations. System administrators should implement comprehensive log monitoring and access controls to detect unauthorized access to system logs that might contain sensitive information. The remediation process involves reviewing all environment variable configurations and ensuring that password-type variables are properly masked in all logging contexts. Organizations should also implement automated log scanning tools to detect and alert on potential credential exposure in log files. Additionally, implementing principle of least privilege access controls for log files and establishing regular security audits of CI/CD configurations can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other system components. The fix addresses the root cause by ensuring that password-type environment variables are automatically sanitized before any logging operations occur, preventing accidental exposure of sensitive authentication information through system outputs and audit trails.