CVE-2022-36062 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

A privilege escalation vulnerability has been discovered in Grafana versions prior to 8.5.13, 9.0.9, and 9.1.6 due to Improper Preservation of Permissions. This vulnerability allows escalation of privileges on folders where Admin is the only used permission.

Understanding CVE-2022-36062

In versions of Grafana where role-based access control (RBAC) was disabled and then re-enabled, the translations of legacy folder permissions to RBAC permissions may not account for scenarios where the only user permission in the folder is Admin. This results in the addition of permissions for Editors and Viewers, allowing them to edit and view folders.

What is CVE-2022-36062?

The CVE-2022-36062 vulnerability in Grafana enables privilege escalation on folders where the only used permission is Admin due to improper preservation of permissions during RBAC migrations.

The Impact of CVE-2022-36062

The impact of CVE-2022-36062 is considered high, with a CVSS base severity score of 7.6 (High). Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to escalate their privileges on affected Grafana instances.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-36062

Vulnerability Description

Grafana instances prior to versions 8.5.13, 9.0.9, and 9.1.6 are susceptible to privilege escalation due to Improper Preservation of Permissions. If RBAC is disabled and re-enabled, additional permissions may be granted unintentionally.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected product is Grafana, with versions prior to 8.5.13, 9.0.9, and 9.1.6 being impacted by this vulnerability. Instances where RBAC was disabled and then enabled are especially vulnerable.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by manipulating RBAC configurations on affected Grafana instances, leveraging the improper preservation of permissions to escalate their privileges.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

It is recommended to upgrade Grafana to versions 8.5.13, 9.0.9, or 9.1.6 to mitigate the CVE-2022-36062 vulnerability. For known impacted folders/dashboards, additional permissions should be removed manually.

Long-Term Security Practices

To enhance security posture, regularly review and adjust folder permissions in Grafana. Ensure RBAC configurations are properly managed to prevent unintended permission escalations.

Patching and Updates

Regularly check for security patches and updates for Grafana to address any new vulnerabilities and ensure a secure monitoring and observability platform.