CVE-2023-39017 in Retail Customer Management and Segmentation Foundation
Summary
by MITRE • 07/28/2023
** DISPUTED ** quartz-jobs 2.3.2 and below was discovered to contain a code injection vulnerability in the component org.quartz.jobs.ee.jms.SendQueueMessageJob.execute. This vulnerability is exploited via passing an unchecked argument. NOTE: this is disputed by multiple parties because it is not plausible that untrusted user input would reach the code location where injection must occur.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-39017 affects the quartz-jobs component version 2.3.2 and earlier, specifically within the org.quartz.jobs.ee.jms.SendQueueMessageJob.execute method. This represents a code injection flaw that could potentially allow malicious actors to execute arbitrary code within the application context. The vulnerability stems from the improper handling of user-provided input within a job execution framework that processes messages for java message service environments. According to the initial report, the flaw occurs when an unchecked argument is passed to the execute method, creating an avenue for code injection attacks. The affected component operates within enterprise java applications that utilize quartz job scheduling for managing background tasks and message processing operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires understanding the underlying architecture of the quartz job execution framework and how it processes input parameters for message service operations. The vulnerability exists because the SendQueueMessageJob.execute method fails to properly validate or sanitize input parameters before using them in message processing operations. This creates a scenario where unvalidated input could be interpreted as executable code within the message processing context. The flaw aligns with CWE-94, which describes the weakness of executing arbitrary code or commands, and represents a classic code injection vulnerability that could be leveraged by attackers to compromise the affected system. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under execution techniques where adversaries may leverage vulnerabilities to run malicious code within the target environment.
However, the vulnerability has been disputed by multiple security researchers and vendors who question the practical exploitability of this issue. The disputed nature stems from the fundamental architectural constraints within the quartz job framework where typical user input would not naturally flow to the vulnerable code path. The job execution context operates within controlled enterprise environments where message parameters are usually validated through established message broker protocols and enterprise application security controls. The dispute highlights the importance of proper vulnerability assessment and the need to distinguish between theoretical code flaws and practical exploitability. Security practitioners must consider the attack surface and input validation mechanisms within the specific application context before determining the true risk of such vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability, if exploitable, could be significant for organizations using affected versions of quartz-jobs in enterprise environments. The potential consequences include unauthorized code execution, data compromise, and system availability issues within applications that rely on quartz job scheduling for critical operations. Organizations utilizing message queue systems through quartz jobs may face risks of privilege escalation or lateral movement if the vulnerability allows for arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and proper parameter handling even in enterprise framework components that are typically considered secure. Security teams should evaluate their quartz job implementations and ensure proper validation of message parameters and job configuration inputs.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation through version updates to quartz-jobs 2.3.3 or later, which would contain the necessary patches to address the code injection flaw. Organizations should also implement additional security controls including input validation at multiple layers, network segmentation for message processing components, and monitoring for suspicious job execution patterns. The implementation of principle of least privilege for quartz job execution contexts can limit the potential impact of any exploitation attempts. Security configurations should include proper message broker authentication and authorization controls to prevent unauthorized access to job execution parameters. Regular security assessments of enterprise job scheduling frameworks and message processing components should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in the broader application ecosystem.