CVE-2023-6267: Vulnerability in Quarkus JSON Payload Processing

Overview of CVE-2023-6267

CVE-2023-6267 is a significant vulnerability discovered in the Red Hat build of Quarkus. This flaw specifically impacts the processing of JSON payloads when REST resources are secured using annotation-based security. The vulnerability allows JSON bodies to be processed (deserialized) before security constraints are evaluated, potentially exposing the application to unauthorized access or manipulation.

Details of the Vulnerability

The flaw arises when security constraints are not properly applied during the deserialization of JSON objects. When annotations are used to enforce security, the JSON body that the resource may consume is evaluated without first validating user permissions or credentials. This situation does not occur with configuration-based security, emphasizing a critical difference in how security measures are enforced.

Impact Assessment

According to Red Hat’s severity classifications, this vulnerability has a CVSS score of 8.6, which categorizes it as high severity. The vulnerability is characterized by the following:

• Attack Complexity: Low
• Attack Vector: Network
• Availability Impact: High
• Confidentiality Impact: Low
• Integrity Impact: Low
• User Interaction: None

Given these factors, organizations utilizing the affected versions of Quarkus are recommended to implement immediate mitigation measures.

Affected Products

This vulnerability affects several products from Red Hat, including:

• Red Hat build of Quarkus 2.13.9.Final
• Red Hat build of Quarkus 3.2.9.Final
• Red Hat build of OptaPlanner 8
• Red Hat Integration Camel K
• Red Hat Integration Camel Quarkus
• Red Hat JBoss Fuse 7

Mitigation Strategies

To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2023-6267, organizations can take the following steps:

• Upgrade to Safe Versions: Ensure that all installations of affected Quarkus versions are updated to versions that have included the necessary security fixes. Check the Red Hat package browser for the latest versions.
• Implement Config-Based Security: If possible, refactor existing code to utilize configuration-based security measures, which do not suffer from the deserialization issue.
• Regular Security Audits: Conduct regular security assessments and audits of your applications to better identify and address potential vulnerabilities.
• Monitor Security Advisories: Keep an eye on Red Hat’s security advisories, such as RHSA-2024:0494, for timely updates on vulnerabilities and patches.

Conclusion

CVE-2023-6267 represents a significant risk to applications relying on Red Hat's Quarkus framework. By proactively addressing this vulnerability through timely upgrades and implementation of stronger security controls, organizations can better safeguard their applications against potential exploits.