CVE-2022-31147 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting the jQuery Validation Plugin (jquery-validation). This vulnerability allows regular expression denial of service (ReDoS) when an attacker provides arbitrary input to the url2 method. The risk arises from an incomplete fix for a previous vulnerability, CVE-2021-43306, which has made certain versions of the plugin susceptible to exploitation.
The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 7.5, indicating a high level of severity. The attack vector is network-based, and the complexity of the attack is low, meaning that attackers can exploit this vulnerability without significant effort. Organizations using affected versions are at a substantial risk of service disruption due to the denial of service potential.
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately. Users are advised to upgrade to version 1.19.5 of the plugin to mitigate this vulnerability effectively. Failure to address this issue could lead to significant operational disruptions and impact the availability of services relying on the plugin.
The vulnerability was initially published on July 14, 2022, and subsequently modified on November 21, 2024. Continuous monitoring and timely updates are crucial for maintaining the security posture of applications utilizing this library.
In conclusion, the risk to organizations includes potential service disruptions due to denial of service attacks. Immediate action is necessary to secure applications that use the jQuery Validation Plugin.
Vulnerability Details
This vulnerability allows regular expression denial of service (ReDoS) when arbitrary input is supplied to the url2 method. The incomplete fix for CVE-2021-43306 means that users of jquery-validation versions prior to 1.19.5 are at risk. The CVSS score of 7.5 categorizes this vulnerability as high severity, emphasizing the need for prompt updates.
The affected product is the jQuery Validation Plugin, specifically versions prior to 1.19.5. This plugin provides validation for forms and is widely used in web applications.
The vulnerability was officially published on July 14, 2022, and has been classified under CWE-1333, which relates to regular expression denial of service vulnerabilities.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the way the url2 method processes input. By providing specially crafted input, an attacker can trigger excessive backtracking in the regular expression engine, leading to denial of service. The attack vector is network-based, allowing attackers to exploit this vulnerability remotely without requiring physical access or user interaction.
The attack complexity is low, as no special privileges are required for exploitation, and there is no need for user interaction. This makes it easier for attackers to launch a successful attack. The impact on availability is high, as the service could become unresponsive, severely affecting user experience and application functionality.
Risk & Impact Analysis
The real-world deployment risk associated with this vulnerability is significant, especially for organizations that rely on the jQuery Validation Plugin for user input validation. Attackers may leverage this vulnerability to disrupt services, leading to potential data loss or system downtime.
The blast radius potential is extensive, as the vulnerability affects any application utilizing vulnerable versions of the jQuery Validation Plugin. Organizations should assess the risk based on their specific deployment scenarios and the criticality of services impacted.
Urgency assessment indicates that organizations should address this vulnerability in their priority patch cycle. Given the CVSS score of 7.5 and the impact on availability, timely remediation is critical.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | Yes |
Public PoC | Yes |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The vulnerable versions of the jQuery Validation Plugin are all versions prior to 1.19.5. Organizations using these versions must upgrade to 1.19.5 to mitigate the risk associated with this vulnerability.
Mitigation & Remediation
To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should upgrade to version 1.19.5 of the jQuery Validation Plugin. If upgrading is not immediately possible, consider implementing input validation mechanisms to sanitize user input and prevent the exploitation of this vulnerability.
For further assistance, organizations may consider utilizing penetration testing services to evaluate their security posture and address potential vulnerabilities.
Detection Guidance
Organizations should monitor application logs for any unusual behavior that may indicate exploitation attempts. Look for patterns of excessive resource usage or errors related to input handling that may suggest an attack leveraging this vulnerability.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2022-31147 lies in its demonstration of how even minor flaws in input validation can lead to severe service disruptions. Security teams should take this as a lesson on the importance of rigorous testing and validation in all components of web applications.
This vulnerability also highlights the critical need for organizations to maintain an updated inventory of third-party libraries and ensure timely upgrades. For more insights on testing and securing web applications, organizations can refer to our web application penetration testing guide which offers best practices.
In conclusion, organizations must prioritize security assessments to identify and remediate vulnerabilities proactively. For a comprehensive understanding of vulnerability management, consider our vulnerability management program design recommendations.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.

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