CVE-2021-22113: Spring Framework Incorrect Authorization Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-vwpg-f6gw-rjvf
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CWE-863
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2021-22113 is a MODERATE incorrect authorization vulnerability (CWE-863: Incorrect Authorization) affecting Spring Framework libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves incorrect authorization in spring cloud netflix zuul. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2.2.7.

CVE-2021-22113 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2021-22113
GHSA Identifier GHSA-vwpg-f6gw-rjvf
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-863: Incorrect Authorization
Affected Product Spring Framework
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix CVE-2021-22113

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Spring Framework 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.springframework.cloud:spring-cloud-netflix-zuul fixed: 2.2.7 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.springframework.cloud</groupId>
    <artifactId>spring-cloud-netflix-zuul</artifactId>
    <version>2.2.7</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.springframework.cloud

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2021-22113, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.springframework.cloud

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Spring Framework in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 2.2.7), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.springframework.cloud 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-863: Incorrect Authorization, where the product performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action, but it does not correctly perform the check. In Spring Framework, 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

Applications using the “Sensitive Headers” functionality in Spring Cloud Netflix Zuul 2.2.6.RELEASE and below may be vulnerable to bypassing the “Sensitive Headers” restriction when executing requests with specially constructed URLs. Applications that use Spring Security's StrictHttpFirewall (enabled by default for all URLs) are not affected by the vulnerability, as they reject requests that allow bypassing.

CVE-2021-22113 Affected Spring Framework Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2.2.7
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.springframework.cloud:spring-cloud-netflix-zuul
maven/org.springframework.cloud/spring-cloud-netflix-zuul
Maven
< 2.2.7
2.2.7

References

NVD — CVE-2021-22113 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-22113
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/spring-cloud/spring-cloud-netflix/commit/8ecb3dca511c3ce0454e42ac31ee2331d7318c07
Spring Framework Security Information SECURITY
https://tanzu.vmware.com/security/cve-2021-22113

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-22113?
CVE-2021-22113 is a security vulnerability in Spring Framework involving Incorrect Authorization in Spring Cloud Netflix Zuul under CWE-863: Incorrect Authorization.
Which Spring Framework versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2.2.7 across affected packages: org.springframework.cloud:spring-cloud-netflix-zuul.
What version fixes CVE-2021-22113?
Upgrading to 2.2.7 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is spring-cloud-netflix-zuul affected?
Yes, org.springframework.cloud:spring-cloud-netflix-zuul is affected in releases prior to 2.2.7. Upgrade your dependency to 2.2.7 or later.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2021-22113?
CVE-2021-22113 is classified under CWE-863: Incorrect Authorization (The product performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action, but it does not correctly perform the check.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2021-22113?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.springframework.cloud'. 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-vwpg-f6gw-rjvf",
  "modified" : "2021-05-07T18:52:54Z",
  "published" : "2021-05-10T15:18:50Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2021-22113" ],
  "summary" : "Incorrect Authorization in Spring Cloud Netflix Zuul",
  "details" : "Applications using the “Sensitive Headers” functionality in Spring Cloud Netflix Zuul 2.2.6.RELEASE and below may be vulnerable to bypassing the “Sensitive Headers” restriction when executing requests with specially constructed URLs. Applications that use Spring Security's StrictHttpFirewall (enabled by default for all URLs) are not affected by the vulnerability, as they reject requests that allow bypassing.",
  "severity" : [ ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.springframework.cloud:spring-cloud-netflix-zuul"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.2.7"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-22113"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/spring-cloud/spring-cloud-netflix/commit/8ecb3dca511c3ce0454e42ac31ee2331d7318c07"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://tanzu.vmware.com/security/cve-2021-22113"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-863" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2021-05-07T18:52:54Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2021-02-23T17:15:00Z"
  }
}