CVE-2022-45787 in Communications Cloud Native Core Console
Summary
by MITRE • 01/09/2023
Unproper laxist permissions on the temporary files used by MIME4J TempFileStorageProvider may lead to information disclosure to other local users. This issue affects Apache James MIME4J version 0.8.8 and prior versions. We recommend users to upgrade to MIME4j version 0.8.9 or later.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/09/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2022-45787 represents a critical security flaw in Apache James MIME4J library version 0.8.8 and earlier, where improper file permissions on temporary files created during MIME message processing expose sensitive data to local users. This issue stems from the TempFileStorageProvider component which generates temporary files to handle email content during parsing operations. The flaw specifically manifests when these temporary files are created with overly permissive access controls that allow unauthorized local users to read or access the stored data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the MIME4J library's temporary file management system where the TempFileStorageProvider creates temporary files without properly setting restrictive file permissions. These temporary files often contain parsed email content, including potentially sensitive information such as email bodies, headers, attachments, or authentication data. When files are created with world-readable or group-readable permissions, any local user on the system can access these temporary files through standard file system operations, creating an information disclosure vulnerability that violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and data isolation.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for systems processing email content where multiple local users share the same system or where security boundaries are not properly maintained. The information disclosure can range from simple email content exposure to more severe consequences including credential leakage, sensitive business data exposure, or potential escalation paths for attackers who might leverage the disclosed information for further attacks. The vulnerability affects any system running Apache James MIME4J 0.8.8 or earlier versions, making it particularly concerning for email servers, mail processing applications, and any system handling email content through this library.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource, which specifically addresses cases where insufficiently restrictive permissions are assigned to security-critical resources. This weakness falls under the broader category of improper access control issues that can lead to information disclosure and privilege escalation. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this as a technique involving 'Exploitation for Credential Access' or 'Data from Local System' where adversaries can leverage weak file permissions to gain access to sensitive information. The vulnerability also demonstrates characteristics of 'Privilege Escalation' through local file system access, as attackers can potentially exploit the information disclosure to build more sophisticated attack vectors.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately upgrade to MIME4J version 0.8.9 or later, which implements proper file permission controls for temporary files. The recommended mitigation strategy includes not only upgrading the library but also conducting thorough audits of existing temporary files to ensure proper cleanup and permission settings. System administrators should review file system permissions for any temporary directories used by email processing applications and implement proper file cleanup procedures to prevent accumulation of sensitive data in accessible locations. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect unauthorized access attempts to temporary files, providing early warning capabilities for potential exploitation attempts.