CVE-2022-29818 in IntelliJ IDEA
Summary
by MITRE • 04/28/2022
In JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA before 2022.1 origin checks in the internal web server were flawed
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/30/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-29818 affects JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA versions prior to 2022.1, specifically targeting the internal web server component that handles HTTP requests within the integrated development environment. This flaw represents a critical security weakness in the application's origin validation mechanisms, which are essential for preventing unauthorized access and cross-site request forgery attacks. The internal web server serves as a bridge between the IDE and various web-based features, including plugin management, remote debugging capabilities, and integration with web frameworks during development processes.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient origin validation checks within the internal web server implementation, allowing malicious actors to potentially bypass security restrictions that should prevent requests from unauthorized domains or origins. This vulnerability creates a pathway for attackers to exploit the IDE's internal HTTP handling mechanisms, potentially enabling them to execute arbitrary code or access sensitive data through crafted HTTP requests. The flaw specifically affects how the web server validates the origin header and other security-related HTTP fields, failing to properly verify that incoming requests originate from legitimate sources within the trusted environment. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-346 weakness category, which addresses "Origin Validation Error" and represents a fundamental breakdown in the application's security boundary enforcement.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can enable attackers to compromise the entire development environment where IntelliJ IDEA is running. An attacker could potentially exploit this weakness to perform unauthorized operations on the local system, access project files, or even gain access to sensitive credentials stored within the IDE. The internal web server's role in facilitating communication between various development tools and web services makes it a prime target for attackers seeking to establish persistent access within development environments. This vulnerability particularly affects developers working in environments where the IDE is exposed to untrusted networks or where multiple users share the same development machine, as it could allow for privilege escalation attacks against the local user account.
Security practitioners should prioritize immediate patching of affected IntelliJ IDEA installations to address this vulnerability, as the flaw exists in the core web server functionality that handles numerous development-related operations. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit exposure of development environments to untrusted networks and consider disabling unnecessary web server features when they are not actively required. The mitigation strategy should also include monitoring for suspicious network traffic patterns and implementing additional security controls such as firewall rules that restrict access to the IDE's internal web server ports. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1190, which covers "Exploit Public-Facing Application" and demonstrates how weaknesses in internal components can create attack vectors that extend beyond traditional network boundaries, particularly in development environments where IDEs often serve as gateways to multiple system resources and development tools.