CVE-2022-29971 in Simba Amazon Athena ODBC Driver
Summary
by MITRE • 05/09/2022
An argument injection vulnerability in the browser-based authentication component of the Magnitude Simba Amazon Athena ODBC Driver 1.1.1 through 1.1.x before 1.1.17 may allow a local user to execute arbitrary code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/12/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-29971 represents a critical argument injection flaw within the browser-based authentication component of the Magnitude Simba Amazon Athena ODBC Driver. This issue affects versions ranging from 1.1.1 through 1.1.x prior to 1.1.17, creating a significant security risk for systems utilizing this database connectivity driver. The flaw resides in how the authentication component processes user-supplied arguments, potentially allowing malicious input to be interpreted as command-line parameters rather than simple authentication data. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-77 category, which specifically addresses argument injection weaknesses in software systems. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it targets a local user context, meaning an attacker with local system access could exploit this weakness to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application process.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of insufficient input validation and sanitization within the authentication flow. When users authenticate through the browser-based component, the driver processes various parameters including user credentials, connection strings, and authentication tokens. The flaw occurs during argument parsing where user-provided data is not properly escaped or validated before being passed to underlying system functions. This creates an environment where maliciously crafted input could be interpreted by the system shell or command processor, leading to unauthorized code execution. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within the context of an ODBC driver, which typically runs with elevated privileges to facilitate database connectivity and data operations. Attackers could leverage this to escalate their privileges or gain deeper access to the underlying database infrastructure.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-29971 extends beyond simple code execution, potentially compromising entire database environments and sensitive data repositories. Organizations using the affected Magnitude Simba Amazon Athena ODBC Driver are at risk of unauthorized access to their Amazon Athena data sources, which may contain highly sensitive business information, customer data, or proprietary analytics. The local execution requirement means that attackers would need initial access to the system, but once achieved, they could exploit this vulnerability to gain persistent access or escalate privileges. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and script interpreter, as it enables attackers to execute arbitrary commands through injected arguments. The attack could lead to data exfiltration, system compromise, or disruption of database services, making it a critical concern for enterprise security teams managing data analytics environments.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of the affected driver versions to 1.1.17 or later, as provided by the vendor. System administrators should implement comprehensive input validation and sanitization measures within their authentication flows, ensuring that all user-supplied arguments are properly escaped before processing. Network segmentation and privilege separation can help reduce the potential impact if exploitation occurs, limiting local user access to only necessary system components. Regular security audits should include verification of ODBC driver versions and configurations, with particular attention to browser-based authentication components. Organizations should also implement monitoring solutions to detect anomalous command execution patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of secure coding practices and proper input validation in authentication systems, particularly those handling sensitive database connections. Additionally, implementing principle of least privilege access controls and regular security assessments will help prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in other components of the database ecosystem.