CVE-2022-22931 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Apache James 3.6.1 is affected by a path traversal vulnerability that allows unauthorized access to other users' data stores. The issue was reported by GHSL team member Jaroslav Lobacevski.

Understanding CVE-2022-22931

This vulnerability, assigned CVE-2022-22931, affects Apache James 3.6.1 and enables a user to access data stores of other users.

What is CVE-2022-22931?

The vulnerability in Apache James 3.6.1 allows a user to access other users' data stores, limited to user names being prefixed by the value of the username being used.

The Impact of CVE-2022-22931

Exploitation of this vulnerability could result in unauthorized access to sensitive data stored in the affected maildir mailbox store and Sieve file repository.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-22931

The vulnerability is related to improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory (Path Traversal) as described by CWE-22.

Vulnerability Description

The fix of CVE-2021-40525 in Apache James 3.6.1 does not prepend delimiters upon valid directory validations, leading to the path traversal issue.

Affected Systems and Versions

Apache James 3.6.1 is the specific version affected by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

By exploiting this vulnerability, a user can access other users' data stores by leveraging the username prefixing.

Mitigation and Prevention

For CVE-2022-22931, it is crucial to implement immediate and long-term security measures to protect systems and data.

Immediate Steps to Take

It is recommended to update to Apache James 3.6.2, where the vulnerability has been fixed.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor for security updates and patches for Apache James to prevent future vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about the latest security advisories and promptly apply patches released by Apache Software Foundation to mitigate the risk of exploitation.