CVE-2022-4815 in Vantara Pentaho Business Analytics Server
Summary
by MITRE • 05/25/2023
Hitachi Vantara Pentaho Business Analytics Server versions before 9.4.0.1 and 9.3.0.3, including 8.3.x deserialize untrusted JSON data without constraining the parser to approved classes and methods.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/17/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-4815 affects Hitachi Vantara Pentaho Business Analytics Server versions prior to 9.4.0.1 and 9.3.0.3, including the 8.3.x series, representing a critical deserialization flaw that exposes the system to remote code execution attacks. This vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly constrain the JSON deserialization process, allowing attackers to inject malicious data that can be executed within the application's runtime environment. The flaw exists in the server's handling of untrusted JSON input, where the deserialization mechanism lacks proper restrictions on which classes and methods can be instantiated or invoked during the parsing process.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the application's JSON parser configuration, which does not enforce class loading restrictions or method access controls during deserialization operations. When the Pentaho server processes incoming JSON data, it accepts arbitrary class names and method invocations without validating them against a whitelist of approved components. This design flaw aligns with CWE-502, which specifically addresses deserialization of untrusted data as a means for executing arbitrary code. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious JSON payloads that reference classes within the application's classpath, potentially leading to remote code execution on the affected server.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and far-reaching, as it enables attackers to gain complete control over the affected Pentaho server instances. Successful exploitation could result in data theft, system compromise, and potential lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on Pentaho Business Analytics Server for business intelligence and data processing functions, potentially exposing sensitive business data and analytical workloads to unauthorized access. Given that Pentaho servers often integrate with enterprise databases and data sources, the attack surface extends beyond the immediate application to encompass the entire data ecosystem.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to the patched versions 9.4.0.1 and 9.3.0.3, which contain proper deserialization restrictions and class validation mechanisms. Additionally, network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to Pentaho server endpoints, particularly those handling JSON data input. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual JSON parsing activities and potential exploitation attempts. The mitigation strategy should also include implementing proper input validation and sanitization for all JSON data received by the application, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies and restricting the server's ability to load arbitrary classes from external sources, thereby reducing the attack surface and preventing exploitation of similar deserialization vulnerabilities in the future.