CVE-2022-0225: Keycloak core Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability

MODERATE

Advisory Identifier: GHSA-fqc7-5xxc-ph7r

CVSS 5.4

Published 2022-08-27

Advisory Summary

CVE-2022-0225 is a MODERATE (CVSS 5.4) cross-site scripting vulnerability (CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')) affecting Keycloak core libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves keycloak xss via use of malicious payload as group name when creating new group from admin console. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2022-0225 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2022-0225

GHSA Identifier GHSA-fqc7-5xxc-ph7r

Severity MODERATE

CVSS v3.1 Base Score 5.4

CWE Classification CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')

Affected Product Keycloak core

Package Ecosystem Maven

Published Date 2022-08-27

Last Updated 2022-09-02

Security Impact

CVSS: 5.4

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)

Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)

Privileges Required Low (PR:L)

User Interaction Required (UI:R)

Scope Changed (S:C)

Confidentiality Low (C:L)

Integrity Low (I:L)

Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2022-0225

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Keycloak core dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

org.keycloak:keycloak-core fixed: Latest secure release

<dependency>
    <groupId>org.keycloak</groupId>
    <artifactId>keycloak-core</artifactId>
    <version>Latest secure release</version>
</dependency>

Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.keycloak

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2022-0225, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.keycloak

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Keycloak core in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.keycloak command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting'), where the product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users. In Keycloak core, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

A flaw was found in Keycloak. This flaw allows a privileged attacker to use the malicious payload as the group name while creating a new group from the admin console, leading to a stored Cross-site scripting (XSS) attack.

CVE-2022-0225 Affected Keycloak core Versions

1 component(s)

Product / Package	Ecosystem	Affected Versions	Fixed Version
org.keycloak:keycloak-core maven/org.keycloak/keycloak-core	Maven	≤ 16.1.0

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY

https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak/security/advisories/GHSA-755v-r4x4-qf7m

NVD — CVE-2022-0225 NVD

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-0225

bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi WEB

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2040268

Keycloak core Source Repository REPOSITORY

https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-0225?

CVE-2022-0225 is a security vulnerability in Keycloak core involving Keycloak XSS via use of malicious payload as group name when creating new group from admin console under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting').

Which Keycloak core versions are affected?

Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches across affected packages: org.keycloak:keycloak-core.

What version fixes CVE-2022-0225?

Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.

Is keycloak-core affected?

Yes, org.keycloak:keycloak-core is affected in releases prior to Latest secure release. Upgrade your dependency to Latest secure release or later.

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2022-0225?

CVE-2022-0225 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.4 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N.

What CWE is associated with CVE-2022-0225?

CVE-2022-0225 is classified under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') (The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users.).

How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2022-0225?

Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.keycloak'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.

Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema

Normalized schema output

View Raw JSON

{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-fqc7-5xxc-ph7r",
  "modified" : "2022-09-02T18:06:37Z",
  "published" : "2022-08-27T00:00:44Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2022-0225" ],
  "summary" : "Keycloak XSS via use of malicious payload as group name when creating new group from admin console",
  "details" : "A flaw was found in Keycloak. This flaw allows a privileged attacker to use the malicious payload as the group name while creating a new group from the admin console, leading to a stored Cross-site scripting (XSS) attack.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.keycloak:keycloak-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "last_affected" : "16.1.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak/security/advisories/GHSA-755v-r4x4-qf7m"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-0225"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2040268"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-79" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2022-09-02T18:06:37Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2022-08-26T18:15:00Z"
  }
}

CVSS V3

5.4 MODERATE