CVE-2022-29243 in Server
Summary
by MITRE • 05/31/2022
Nextcloud Server is the file server software for Nextcloud, a self-hosted productivity platform. Prior to versions 22.2.7 and 23.0.4, missing input-size validation of new session names allows users to create app passwords with long names. These long names are then loaded into memory on usage, resulting in impacted performance. Versions 22.2.7 and 23.0.4 contain a fix for this issue. There are currently no known workarounds available.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-29243 affects Nextcloud Server software, a self-hosted productivity platform that provides file server capabilities for organizations seeking to maintain control over their data. This issue stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the session management system, specifically concerning the validation of session name lengths during the creation of application passwords. The flaw exists in versions prior to 22.2.7 and 23.0.4, representing a critical oversight in the platform's security architecture that could potentially impact system performance and resource utilization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a lack of proper input sanitization for session names when creating application passwords within the Nextcloud ecosystem. Attackers can exploit this weakness by generating session names with excessive length, bypassing the normal validation checks that should enforce reasonable limits on input size. When these long session names are subsequently utilized, they consume disproportionate amounts of memory resources during processing, creating a performance degradation that affects the overall system responsiveness and resource allocation. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which addresses improper input validation, and represents a form of resource exhaustion attack that can impact system availability.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-29243 extends beyond simple performance degradation to potentially affect system stability and user experience within Nextcloud environments. When application passwords with excessively long names are processed, the memory consumption increases significantly, which can lead to system slowdowns, increased latency in file operations, and potential denial of service conditions for legitimate users. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely heavily on automated processes or have high user volumes, where the cumulative effect of multiple long session names could severely impact system performance. The issue demonstrates how seemingly minor input validation gaps can create substantial operational challenges in enterprise-grade file server software.
Organizations utilizing Nextcloud Server must prioritize immediate upgrade to versions 22.2.7 or 23.0.4 to remediate this vulnerability, as no effective workarounds exist for the current implementation. The fix implemented in these updated versions addresses the core validation issue by enforcing proper input size limits for session names during application password creation. Security teams should conduct comprehensive assessments of their Nextcloud deployments to identify any existing application passwords that may have been created with excessive names before applying the patches. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of input validation in preventing resource exhaustion attacks and maintaining system integrity, particularly in environments where file server software handles sensitive organizational data and requires consistent performance under various load conditions. The remediation process should include verification that all session management components properly enforce size constraints and that memory usage patterns return to normal after patch application.