CVE-2022-25813 in OFBiz
Summary
by MITRE • 09/02/2022
In Apache OFBiz, versions 18.12.05 and earlier, an attacker acting as an anonymous user of the ecommerce plugin, can insert a malicious content in a message “Subject” field from the "Contact us" page. Then a party manager needs to list the communications in the party component to activate the SSTI. A RCE is then possible.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/11/2022
Apache OFBiz version 18.12.05 and earlier contains a critical server-side template injection vulnerability that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code through the ecommerce plugin's contact form. This vulnerability exists in the message subject field of the "Contact us" page, where user input is not properly sanitized before being processed within the application's template engine. The flaw represents a classic server-side template injection (SSTI) vulnerability that can be exploited to achieve remote code execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's failure to properly validate and sanitize user input submitted through the contact form's subject field. When an attacker submits malicious content containing template injection payloads, the application processes this input through its template rendering engine without adequate sanitization. This creates an environment where attacker-controlled data can be interpreted as template code rather than plain text, allowing for arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability requires minimal privileges as an anonymous user can initiate the attack, making it particularly dangerous for publicly accessible applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides attackers with full remote code execution capabilities on the affected server. Once exploited, attackers can execute arbitrary commands, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, and persistence within the target environment. The attack chain requires an initial injection through the contact form followed by a party manager action to trigger the template processing, but the initial injection point provides a valid attack vector for remote exploitation. This vulnerability affects organizations running vulnerable versions of Apache OFBiz that have enabled the ecommerce plugin with public contact forms.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to Apache OFBiz version 18.12.06 or later, which includes patches addressing this template injection vulnerability. The mitigation strategy should also include implementing input validation and sanitization for all user-supplied data, particularly in fields that may be processed through template engines. Security controls should be enhanced to prevent template injection attacks through proper escaping and encoding of user input, aligning with CWE-74 standards for input validation. Additionally, implementing web application firewalls and monitoring for suspicious template injection patterns can provide defense-in-depth protection against exploitation attempts.
The vulnerability demonstrates a clear path from initial user input to remote code execution through template processing, making it a prime example of how insecure template handling can lead to critical system compromise. This attack vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, and T1566 for phishing with malicious attachments or links, as the initial compromise often occurs through web form submissions. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their OFBiz installations to identify and remediate similar template injection vulnerabilities throughout their applications, particularly in components that process user-generated content through template engines.