CVE-2022-2756 in kavita
Summary
by MITRE • 08/10/2022
Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) in GitHub repository kareadita/kavita prior to 0.5.4.1.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/10/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-2756 represents a critical server-side request forgery flaw discovered in the kareadita/kavita repository prior to version 0.5.4.1. This issue fundamentally compromises the security posture of the application by allowing malicious actors to manipulate the server into making unintended requests to internal or external systems. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the application's request handling mechanisms, creating an attack surface where remote adversaries can exploit the system's trust relationships to access restricted resources.
Server-side request forgery vulnerabilities fall under the CWE-918 category, which specifically addresses weaknesses in web applications that enable attackers to make arbitrary requests from the server. The flaw manifests when the application accepts user-supplied input that is then used to construct HTTP requests without proper validation or sanitization. In the context of kavita, this vulnerability likely exists in components that handle external resource loading, API integrations, or network communication functions. Attackers can leverage this weakness to target internal network resources that would normally be inaccessible from the internet, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive systems or data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables attackers to perform reconnaissance activities against internal systems, potentially leading to further exploitation opportunities. An attacker could use the SSRF vulnerability to access internal services, databases, or other network resources that are typically protected by firewalls or network segmentation. The attack surface becomes particularly concerning when considering that kavita is a media server application that may handle sensitive user content and personal information. The vulnerability could also facilitate lateral movement within networks, as successful exploitation might reveal internal IP addresses, service endpoints, or credentials that could be used for additional attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-2756 should focus on implementing robust input validation and sanitization mechanisms throughout the application's codebase. The most effective approach involves establishing a whitelist-based system that only permits specific, trusted domains or IP addresses to be accessed by the application. Network-level protections such as firewall rules and internal network segmentation can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. Organizations should also implement proper request validation that ensures all external requests are explicitly authorized and that the application does not blindly trust user-provided URLs or endpoints. The remediation process should include thorough code review and security testing to identify and address similar vulnerabilities in other parts of the application. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1190 - Proxying and T1071.004 - Application Layer Protocol: DNS, indicating that attackers can leverage this weakness to establish proxy connections and potentially evade network monitoring systems while conducting reconnaissance activities. The vulnerability also aligns with T1566 - Phishing and T1046 - Network Service Scanning, as it enables attackers to perform service discovery and potentially deliver additional payloads through compromised internal systems.