CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2022-0229NVD status: Modified

miniOrange's Google Authenticator: Cross-Site Request Forgery

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2022-0229 is a high-severity cross-site request forgery vulnerability in miniOrange's Google Authenticator, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, but only if a user takes part, for example by opening a link or file. The record lists version 5.5 as the first without the flaw, so updating miniOrange's Google Authenticator to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.55% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update miniOrange's Google Authenticator to 5.5 or a later version.
  2. Update Google Authenticator to 5.5 or a later version.
  3. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
  4. Because the attack needs a user to take part, warn users about unexpected links and files related to this product until it is patched.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
miniOrange's Google AuthenticatorminiOrange's Google Authenticatorbefore 5.55.5
MiniorangeGoogle Authenticatorbefore 5.55.5

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
RequiredA user must take an action such as opening a file or link.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
NoneNo data is disclosed.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.18.1HighNVD
CVSS 2.05.8MediumNVD

Official description

The miniOrange's Google Authenticator WordPress plugin before 5.5 does not have proper authorisation and CSRF checks when handling the reconfigureMethod, and does not validate the parameters passed to it properly. As a result, unauthenticated users could delete arbitrary options from the blog, making it unusable.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Cross-Site Request Forgery

The web application does not, or cannot, sufficiently verify whether a request was intentionally provided by the user who sent the request, which could have originated from an unauthorized actor.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, use anti-CSRF packages such as the OWASP CSRFGuard. Another example is the ESAPI Session Management control, which includes a component for CSRF.
  • Ensure that the application is free of cross-site scripting issues (CWE-79), because most CSRF defenses can be bypassed using attacker-controlled script.
  • Generate a unique nonce for each form, place the nonce into the form, and verify the nonce upon receipt of the form. Be sure that the nonce is not predictable (CWE-330).

More Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities (CWE-352)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Technical write-ups (may include proof of concept)

Recent Cross-Site Request Forgery vulnerabilities

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