Modsecurity: Interpretation Conflict
CVE-2022-48279 is a high-severity interpretation conflict vulnerability in Modsecurity from Owasp, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists version 3.0.8 as the first without the flaw, so updating Modsecurity to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.22% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 69% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Modsecurity to 3.0.8 or a later version.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owasp | Modsecurity | 3.0.0 up to, but not including, 3.0.8 | 3.0.8 |
| Debian | Debian Linux | 10.0 | Not stated |
Version data comes from NVD's product matching. 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
- NoneNothing can be modified.
- Availability
- NoneAvailability is not affected.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.5 | High | NVD |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.5 | High | CISA (ADP) |
Official description
In ModSecurity before 2.9.6 and 3.x before 3.0.8, HTTP multipart requests were incorrectly parsed and could bypass the Web Application Firewall. NOTE: this is related to CVE-2022-39956 but can be considered independent changes to the ModSecurity (C language) codebase.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Interpretation Conflict
Product A handles inputs or steps differently than Product B, which causes A to perform incorrect actions based on its perception of B's state.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
- github.com/SpiderLabs/ModSecurity/pull/2795Third Party Advisory
- github.com/SpiderLabs/ModSecurity/pull/2797Third Party Advisory
- github.com/SpiderLabs/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v2.9.6Release Notes, Third Party Advisory
- github.com/SpiderLabs/ModSecurity/releases/tag/v3.0.8Release Notes, Third Party Advisory
Third-party and government advisories
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/01/msg00023.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
Other references
- coreruleset.org/20220919/crs-version-3-3-3-and-3-2-2-covering-several-cves/Not Applicable
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/52TGCZCOHYBDCVWJYNN2…
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/SYRTXTOQQI6SB2TLI5QX…
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/WCH6JM4I4MD4YABYFHSB…
Other vulnerabilities in Modsecurity
- 7.5 High severity
Recent Interpretation Conflict vulnerabilities
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.4 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
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