Overview
In this blog post, we delve into the recent critical vulnerability CVE-2022-45134 affecting Mahara versions 21.10 before 21.10.6, 22.04 before 22.04.4, and 22.10 before 22.10.1. Mahara is a popular open-source e-portfolio system widely used by educational institutions globally. This vulnerability allows potential attackers to execute arbitrary code on the target system through a particular XML file structure during the skin import process. It’s crucial to understand and address this vulnerability promptly as it poses a severe threat to data security, potentially leading to system compromise or data leakage.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2022-45134
Severity: Critical (9.8 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Mahara | 21.10 before 21.10.6
Mahara | 22.04 before 22.04.4
Mahara | 22.10 before 22.10.1
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability arises from the unsafe deserialization of user input during the skin import process. When Mahara processes a specially structured XML file, it may lead to arbitrary code execution. An attacker can exploit this by sending a malicious XML file in the skin import request, which, when deserialized unsafely by the application, allows the attacker to execute arbitrary code on the target system.
Conceptual Example Code
Here is a conceptual example of how an attacker might exploit this vulnerability. Please note that this is a hypothetical example and not actual exploit code.
POST /skin_import HTTP/1.1
Host: mahara.example.com
Content-Type: application/xml
<root>
<exploit>...malicious code here...</exploit>
</root>In this example, the attacker sends a POST request to the `/skin_import` endpoint with a malicious XML payload.
Mitigation Guide
Users are strongly advised to update their Mahara installation to the latest versions – 21.10.6, 22.04.4, or 22.10.1, as these versions contain the patch for this vulnerability. If it’s not possible to apply the patch immediately, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can provide temporary mitigation. These systems should be configured to block or alert on suspicious XML payloads in the skin import requests.
Remember, staying up-to-date with software patches and having a robust security system in place is essential in protecting your systems and data from such vulnerabilities.