CVE-2022-1438: Keycloak services Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability
MODERATECVE-2022-1438 is a MODERATE (CVSS 6.4) cross-site scripting vulnerability (CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')) affecting Keycloak services libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves keycloak vulnerable to cross-site scripting. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.
CVE-2022-1438 at a Glance
Security Impact
CVSS: 6.4
The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
How to Fix CVE-2022-1438
To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Keycloak services dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.
<dependency>
<groupId>org.keycloak</groupId>
<artifactId>keycloak-services</artifactId>
<version>Latest secure release</version>
</dependency>
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-2022-1438, 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 services 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 services, 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
CVE-2022-1438 Affected Keycloak services Versions
1 component(s)| Product / Package | Ecosystem | Affected Versions | Fixed Version |
|---|---|---|---|
|
org.keycloak:keycloak-services
|
Maven |
≤ 21.0.0
|
|
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2022-1438?
Which Keycloak services versions are affected?
What version fixes CVE-2022-1438?
Is keycloak-services affected?
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2022-1438?
What CWE is associated with CVE-2022-1438?
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2022-1438?
Machine-readable OSV JSON
OSV v1.5 Schema
{
"schema_version" : "1.4.0",
"id" : "GHSA-w354-2f3c-qvg9",
"modified" : "2023-09-25T17:19:40Z",
"published" : "2023-03-01T16:18:55Z",
"aliases" : [ "CVE-2022-1438" ],
"summary" : "Keycloak vulnerable to Cross-site Scripting",
"details" : "A flaw was found in Keycloak. Under specific circumstances, HTML entities are not sanitized during user impersonation, resulting in a Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability.\n\n## Details\n\nThis issue is the result of code found in the exception here: [https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak/blob/48835576daa158443f69917ac309e1a7c951bc87/services/src/main/java/org/keycloak/authentication/AuthenticationProcessor.java#L1045](https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak/blob/48835576daa158443f69917ac309e1a7c951bc87/services/src/main/java/org/keycloak/authentication/AuthenticationProcessor.java#L1045)\n\n## Steps to reproduce\n\nWhen using the legacy admin console:\n\n1. Sign in as Admin user in first tab.\n2. In that tab create new user in keycloak admin section > intercept user creation request and modify it by including malicious js script there (in username field).\n3. Sign in as newly created user in second tab (same browser window but second tab).\n4. Navigate back to first tab where you are signed in as admin, navigate to admin console which lists all application users.\n5. Choose any user (except newly created malicious one) – modify anything for that user in his settings. E.g. navigate to credentials tab and set new credentials for him. Also set new password as temporary.\n6. After update for that user is made, use impersonate option on that modified user.\n7. You should see window with form which requires providing new credentials – fill it and submit request.\n8. Just after submiting request user will get notified that “You are already authenticated as different user ‘[user + payload]’ in this session. Please sign out first.” And malicious payload will be executed instantly.\n",
"severity" : [ {
"type" : "CVSS_V3",
"score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
} ],
"affected" : [ {
"package" : {
"ecosystem" : "Maven",
"name" : "org.keycloak:keycloak-services"
},
"ranges" : [ {
"type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
"events" : [ {
"introduced" : "0"
}, {
"last_affected" : "21.0.0"
} ]
} ]
} ],
"references" : [ {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak/security/advisories/GHSA-w354-2f3c-qvg9"
}, {
"type" : "ADVISORY",
"url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-1438"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:1043"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:1044"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:1045"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:1047"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:1049"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2022-1438"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2031904"
}, {
"type" : "PACKAGE",
"url" : "https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak"
}, {
"type" : "WEB",
"url" : "https://github.com/keycloak/keycloak/blob/48835576daa158443f69917ac309e1a7c951bc87/services/src/main/java/org/keycloak/authentication/AuthenticationProcessor.java#L1045"
} ],
"database_specific" : {
"cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-79" ],
"severity" : "MODERATE",
"github_reviewed" : true,
"github_reviewed_at" : "2023-03-01T16:18:55Z",
"nvd_published_at" : "2023-09-20T14:15:12Z"
}
}