CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2022-24440NVD status: Modified

cocoapods-downloader: Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command

CVE-2022-24440 is a critical-severity improper neutralization of argument delimiters in a command vulnerability in cocoapods-downloader, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 1.6.0, 1.6.3 as the first without the flaw, so updating cocoapods-downloader to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 2.62% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 86% of scored CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Update cocoapods-downloader to 1.6.0 or 1.6.3, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Cocoapods-downloadercocoapods-downloaderbefore 1.6.0; 1.6.2; before 1.6.31.6.0, 1.6.3

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
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
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:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.18.1HighCNA (snyk.io)
CVSS 3.19.8CriticalNVD
CVSS 2.07.5HighNVD

Official description

The package cocoapods-downloader before 1.6.0, from 1.6.2 and before 1.6.3 are vulnerable to Command Injection via git argument injection. When calling the Pod::Downloader.preprocess_options function and using git, both the git and branch parameters are passed to the git ls-remote subcommand in a way that additional flags can be set. The additional flags can be used to perform a command injection.

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

The underlying weakness: Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command

The product constructs a string for a command to be executed by a separate component in another control sphere, but it does not properly delimit the intended arguments, options, or switches within that command string.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Understand all the potential areas where untrusted inputs can enter your product: parameters or arguments, cookies, anything read from the network, environment variables, request headers as well as content, URL components, e-mail, files, databases, and any external systems that provide data to the application. Perform input validation at well-defined interfaces.
  • Directly convert your input type into the expected data type, such as using a conversion function that translates a string into a number. After converting to the expected data type, ensure that the input's values fall within the expected range of allowable values and that multi-field consistencies are maintained.
  • When exchanging data between components, ensure that both components are using the same character encoding. Ensure that the proper encoding is applied at each interface. Explicitly set the encoding you are using whenever the protocol allows you to do so.

More Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command vulnerabilities (CWE-88)

Timeline

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

References

Third-party and government advisories

Other vulnerabilities in cocoapods-downloader

All cocoapods-downloader vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Neutralization of Argument Delimiters in a Command vulnerabilities

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