CVE-2022-47937 in Sling Commons JSON Bundle
Summary
by MITRE • 05/15/2023
** UNSUPPORTED WHEN ASSIGNED **
Improper input validation in the Apache Sling Commons JSON bundle allows an attacker to trigger unexpected errors by supplying specially-crafted input.
NOTE: This vulnerability only affects products that are no longer supported by the maintainer
The org.apache.sling.commons.json bundle has been deprecated as of March 2017 and should not be used anymore. Consumers are encouraged to consider the Apache Sling Commons Johnzon OSGi bundle provided by the Apache Sling project, but may of course use other JSON libraries.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/12/2024
The CVE-2022-47937 vulnerability resides within the Apache Sling Commons JSON bundle, a component that has been officially deprecated since March 2017 and is no longer maintained by the Apache Sling project. This security flaw represents a classic case of improper input validation that can be exploited by malicious actors to trigger unexpected errors within the application. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the system processes specially-crafted input that bypasses normal validation mechanisms, potentially leading to system instability or error conditions that could be leveraged for further attacks.
This type of vulnerability falls under the broader category of CWE-20, which describes "Improper Input Validation" in software security frameworks. The technical flaw essentially allows attackers to inject malformed data that the JSON parsing component cannot properly handle, resulting in unexpected error states rather than graceful failure handling. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning because it affects a core data processing component that handles JSON serialization and deserialization operations common in web applications and content management systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple error triggering, as it represents a potential vector for more sophisticated attacks. When an application fails to properly validate input data, it creates opportunities for attackers to cause denial of service conditions, information disclosure, or even code execution depending on the broader application context. The fact that this vulnerability affects a deprecated component means that organizations may be running unsupported code that lacks proper security updates and patches, making them more susceptible to exploitation.
Organizations that have not migrated away from the deprecated Apache Sling Commons JSON bundle are strongly encouraged to implement immediate mitigation strategies. The recommended approach involves transitioning to the Apache Sling Commons Johnzon OSGi bundle, which provides modern JSON processing capabilities with proper security hardening. This migration aligns with industry best practices for maintaining secure software components and follows the ATT&CK framework's guidance on avoiding deprecated software components. The vulnerability serves as a critical reminder of the importance of maintaining up-to-date software libraries and the dangers of continuing to use unsupported components that may harbor unknown security flaws. Organizations should conduct comprehensive audits of their software dependencies to identify and remediate similar deprecated components that may pose security risks.