CVE-2022-29773 in AlekSIS
Summary
by MITRE • 06/04/2022
An access control issue in aleksis/core/util/auth_helpers.py: ClientProtectedResourceMixin of AlekSIS-Core v2.8.1 and below allows attackers to access arbitrary scopes if no allowed scopes are specifically set.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-29773 represents a critical access control flaw within the AlekSIS-Core authentication framework version 2.8.1 and earlier. This issue resides in the client protected resource mixin component that governs how authentication scopes are validated and enforced. The flaw stems from improper default configuration handling where the system fails to properly restrict access when no explicit allowed scopes are defined for a given resource. This misconfiguration creates a dangerous privilege escalation scenario that undermines the fundamental security model of the application.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the aleksis/core/util/auth_helpers.py file where the ClientProtectedResourceMixin class is designed to handle authentication scopes for client resources. When administrators fail to explicitly define allowed scopes for a particular resource, the mixin defaults to granting access to all available scopes rather than restricting access to a minimal set. This behavior violates the principle of least privilege and creates an attack surface where malicious actors can enumerate and access unauthorized scopes simply by exploiting the default configuration. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the authentication layer, meaning it can potentially allow attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms entirely.
From an operational perspective, this access control failure has significant implications for organizations relying on AlekSIS-Core for their identity management and authorization needs. Attackers who discover this vulnerability can systematically enumerate available scopes and gain access to sensitive resources that should be restricted to authorized users only. The impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access to include potential data breaches, privilege escalation, and lateral movement within the affected system. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-284 which describes improper access control, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting. The flaw essentially creates a backdoor mechanism where attackers can bypass normal authentication flows and access resources that should be protected by scope-based authorization.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including mandatory configuration of explicit allowed scopes for all client resources, regular security audits of authentication configurations, and implementation of automated monitoring for unauthorized scope access patterns. The recommended approach involves updating to the patched version of AlekSIS-Core where the default behavior has been corrected to enforce strict scope validation. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive reviews of their existing authentication configurations to ensure no resources are relying on the vulnerable default behavior. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while regular penetration testing should verify that proper scope restrictions are in place across all authentication points. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper default security configurations and the necessity of explicit security controls rather than relying on potentially insecure defaults.