CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2022-36799NVD status: Modified

Jira Server: Improper Control of Generation of Code

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2022-36799 is a high-severity improper control of generation of code vulnerability in Jira Server from Atlassian, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.2 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with administrator privileges, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 8.13.19, 8.20.7, 8.22.1 as the first without the flaw, so updating Jira Server to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 46.7% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is in the top 1.16% of all scored CVEs.

Patch this week

EPSS places it among the vulnerabilities most likely to be exploited soon.

What to do

  1. Update Jira Server to 8.13.19 or 8.20.7 or 8.22.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Jira Data Center to 8.13.19 or 8.20.7 or 8.22.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  3. Read the advisory on jira.atlassian.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
AtlassianJira Serverbefore 8.13.19; 8.14.0; before 8.20.7; 8.21.0; before 8.22.1; 8.14.0 up to, but not including, 8.20.7; 8.21.0 up to, but not including, 8.22.18.13.19, 8.20.7, 8.22.1
AtlassianJira Data Centerbefore 8.13.19; 8.14.0; before 8.20.7; 8.21.0; before 8.22.1; 8.14.0 up to, but not including, 8.20.7; 8.21.0 up to, but not including, 8.22.18.13.19, 8.20.7, 8.22.1

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
HighAdministrator-level access is required first.
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:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.17.2HighNVD
CVSS 3.17.2HighCISA (ADP)

Official description

This issue exists to document that a security improvement in the way that Jira Server and Data Center use templates has been implemented. Affected versions of Atlassian Jira Server and Data Center allowed remote attackers with system administrator permissions to execute arbitrary code via Template Injection leading to Remote Code Execution (RCE) in the Email Templates feature. In this case the security improvement was to protect against using the XStream library to be able to execute arbitrary code in velocity templates. The affected versions are before version 8.13.19, from version 8.14.0 before 8.20.7, and from version 8.21.0 before 8.22.1.

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

The underlying weakness: Improper Control of Generation of Code

The product constructs all or part of a code segment using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the syntax or behavior of the intended code segment.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Refactor your program so that you do not have to dynamically generate code.
  • Run your code in a jail or similar sandbox environment that enforces strict boundaries between the process and the operating system. This may effectively restrict which code can be executed by your product. Examples include the Unix chroot jail and AppArmor. In general, managed code may provide some protection. This may not be a feasible solution, and it only limits the impact to the operating system; the rest of your application may still be subject to compromise. Be careful to avoid CWE-243 and other weaknesses related to jails.
  • Use dynamic tools and techniques that interact with the product using large test suites with many diverse inputs, such as fuzz testing (fuzzing), robustness testing, and fault injection. The product's operation may slow down, but it should not become unstable, crash, or generate incorrect results.

More Improper Control of Generation of Code vulnerabilities (CWE-94)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in Jira Server

All Jira Server vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Control of Generation of Code vulnerabilities

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