An incorrect authorization vulnerability was identified in GitHub Enterprise Server, allowing for escalation of privileges in GraphQL API requests from GitHub Apps. This vulnerability allows an app installed on an organization to gain access to and modify most organization-level resources that are not tied to a repository regardless of granted permissions, such as users and organization-wide projects. Resources associated with repositories were not impacted, such as repository file content, repository-specific projects, issues, or pull requests. This vulnerability affected all versions of GitHub Enterprise Server prior to 3.7.1 and was fixed in versions 3.3.16, 3.4.11, 3.5.8, 3.6.4, and 3.7.1. This vulnerability was reported via the GitHub Bug Bounty program.
The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 9.8, classified as critical. The attack vector is network-based with low complexity, requiring no privileges or user interaction. The impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability are all rated as high. Organizations should prioritize patching immediately.
Risk to organizations includes unauthorized access and modification of organization-level resources, potentially leading to significant operational disruptions or data breaches. Given the severe nature of this vulnerability, organizations must address it in their priority patch cycle.
Currently, there is no evidence of public exploits or known exploitation in the wild. However, the critical severity of this vulnerability necessitates immediate attention from security teams.
In conclusion, organizations using GitHub Enterprise Server must ensure they are running the latest versions to mitigate the risks posed by CVE-2022-23739.
Vulnerability Details
An incorrect authorization vulnerability was identified in GitHub Enterprise Server, allowing for escalation of privileges in GraphQL API requests from GitHub Apps. This vulnerability allowed an app installed on an organization to gain access to and modify most organization-level resources that are not tied to a repository regardless of granted permissions, such as users and organization-wide projects. Resources associated with repositories were not impacted, such as repository file content, repository-specific projects, issues, or pull requests.
This vulnerability affects all versions of GitHub Enterprise Server prior to 3.7.1 and was fixed in versions 3.3.16, 3.4.11, 3.5.8, 3.6.4, and 3.7.1.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper authorization checks within the GitHub Enterprise Server's GraphQL API. The attack vector is network-based, meaning that an attacker can exploit this vulnerability remotely without physical access to the server. The attack complexity is low, indicating that an attacker does not require advanced skills to exploit this vulnerability.
No privileges are required to exploit this vulnerability, and user interaction is not necessary. The potential impacts of this vulnerability include high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, meaning that sensitive data may be accessed and modified, leading to severe consequences for affected organizations.
Risk & Impact Analysis
The real-world deployment risk associated with this vulnerability is significant. Organizations that utilize GitHub Enterprise Server and have installed GitHub Apps are at risk of unauthorized access and modification of critical organization-level resources. This could lead to operational disruptions and a potential data breach.
The blast radius of this vulnerability is substantial due to its potential to affect multiple organization-level resources that are not tied to repositories. The urgency for organizations to patch this vulnerability is critical due to its high CVSS score and potential for exploitation.
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
All versions of GitHub Enterprise Server prior to 3.7.1 are affected. The fixed versions are 3.3.16, 3.4.11, 3.5.8, 3.6.4, and 3.7.1.
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should prioritize updating their GitHub Enterprise Server installations to the latest version, specifically 3.7.1 or later, to mitigate this vulnerability. In case an immediate upgrade is not feasible, organizations should consider implementing access controls and monitoring to limit the risk of unauthorized access.
For further assistance, organizations can consider engaging in penetration testing to identify similar weaknesses in their systems.
Detection Guidance
Organizations should monitor logs for unusual API access patterns and behavior that deviates from normal operations. Detection of unauthorized access attempts or modifications to organization-level resources should be flagged for further investigation.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2022-23739 lies in the potential for similar vulnerabilities to be discovered in other applications, particularly those utilizing API access. Security teams should take this opportunity to review their API security practices and ensure robust authorization mechanisms are in place.
This vulnerability highlights a common trend of authorization issues that can lead to severe consequences. Organizations are encouraged to implement stringent testing and validation processes for their applications to prevent such vulnerabilities from being introduced.
For further reading on securing APIs, organizations can refer to our guide on API penetration testing and best practices.
Additionally, considering the impact of this vulnerability, it is advisable for organizations to engage in penetration testing methodology to ensure comprehensive security measures are in place.
In conclusion, CVE-2022-23739 serves as a critical reminder for organizations to continuously assess their security posture and adapt to emerging threats.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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