CVE-2022-41562 in JasperReports Server
Summary
by MITRE • 12/13/2022
The HTML escaping component of TIBCO Software Inc.'s TIBCO JasperReports Server, TIBCO JasperReports Server, TIBCO JasperReports Server - Community Edition, TIBCO JasperReports Server - Developer Edition, TIBCO JasperReports Server for AWS Marketplace, TIBCO JasperReports Server for AWS Marketplace, TIBCO JasperReports Server for Microsoft Azure, and TIBCO JasperReports Server for Microsoft Azure contains an easily exploitable vulnerability that allows a privileged/administrative attacker with network access to execute an XSS attack on the affected system. A successful attack using this vulnerability requires human interaction from a person other than the attacker. Affected releases are TIBCO Software Inc.'s TIBCO JasperReports Server: versions 8.0.2 and below, TIBCO JasperReports Server: version 8.1.0, TIBCO JasperReports Server - Community Edition: versions 8.1.0 and below, TIBCO JasperReports Server - Developer Edition: versions 8.1.0 and below, TIBCO JasperReports Server for AWS Marketplace: versions 8.0.2 and below, TIBCO JasperReports Server for AWS Marketplace: version 8.1.0, TIBCO JasperReports Server for Microsoft Azure: versions 8.0.2 and below, and TIBCO JasperReports Server for Microsoft Azure: version 8.1.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/13/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-41562 represents a critical cross-site scripting weakness within TIBCO JasperReports Server's HTML escaping functionality. This security flaw affects multiple variants of the JasperReports platform including community, developer, and cloud marketplace editions. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize user-supplied data before rendering it in web interfaces. The affected versions encompass TIBCO JasperReports Server 8.0.2 and earlier releases, as well as version 8.1.0 across all deployment configurations. Security researchers have classified this as easily exploitable due to the nature of the HTML escaping component failure, which allows malicious payloads to persist and execute within the victim's browser context.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when administrators or privileged users interact with web-based interfaces that process user input without adequate sanitization. The flaw specifically manifests in how the system handles HTML escaping routines that should prevent malicious scripts from being executed when rendered in web browsers. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 which describes Cross-Site Scripting flaws where untrusted data is improperly sanitized before being rendered in web applications. The attack vector requires network access and human interaction from users other than the attacker, making it a server-side XSS variant that leverages social engineering or user interaction to propagate malicious payloads. The affected components include various web interfaces and administrative panels that process user input through the compromised HTML escaping mechanism.
Operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution as it provides attackers with potential access to sensitive administrative functions within the JasperReports environment. An attacker could craft malicious input that, when processed by the vulnerable system, would execute in the context of authenticated users' browsers. This could lead to session hijacking, data exfiltration, or privilege escalation within the JasperReports server environment. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1566.001 for "Phishing with Social Engineering" reflects the requirement for human interaction, while T1190 covers "Exploit Public-Facing Application" as the primary attack pathway. Organizations running affected versions face potential exposure to unauthorized access to reports, data, and administrative controls within the JasperReports ecosystem, particularly in environments where administrative users regularly interact with web-based management interfaces.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-41562 should prioritize immediate patch deployment from TIBCO Software Inc. to address the underlying HTML escaping implementation flaw. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of JasperReports interfaces to trusted networks only. Web application firewalls and content security policies can provide additional defense-in-depth layers to detect and block malicious script execution attempts. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify any potentially compromised sessions or data within affected environments. Regular monitoring of user activity logs and web interface access patterns can help detect exploitation attempts. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patched environments to ensure the HTML escaping functionality properly sanitizes all user input before rendering in web contexts, while maintaining the platform's intended functionality for legitimate report generation and administration tasks.