CVE-2022-22931: James server Path Traversal Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-v84g-cf5j-xjqx
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CWE-22
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2022-22931 is a MODERATE path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')) affecting James server libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves path traversal in apache james server. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 3.6.2.

CVE-2022-22931 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2022-22931
GHSA Identifier GHSA-v84g-cf5j-xjqx
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
Affected Product James server
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix CVE-2022-22931

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected James server 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.apache.james:james-server fixed: 3.6.2 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.james</groupId>
    <artifactId>james-server</artifactId>
    <version>3.6.2</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.apache.james

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2022-22931, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.james

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of James server in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 3.6.2), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.james 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-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal'), where the product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory. In James server, 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

Apache James Server prior to version 3.6.2 contains a path traversal vulnerability. The fix for CVE-2021-40525 does not prepend delimiters upon valid directory validations. Affected implementations include: - maildir mailbox store - Sieve file repository This enables a user to access other users data stores (limited to user names being prefixed by the value of the username being used).

CVE-2022-22931 Affected James server Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
3.6.2
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.apache.james:james-server
maven/org.apache.james/james-server
Maven
< 3.6.2
3.6.2

References

NVD — CVE-2022-22931 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-22931
James server Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/apache/james-project/pull/877
James server Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/apache/james-project/pull/877/commits/b1e891a9e5eeadfa1d779ae50f21c73efe4d2fc7
James server Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/apache/james-project
lists.apache.org/thread/bp8yql4wws56... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread/bp8yql4wws56jlh0vxoowj7foothsmpr
James server Security Information SECURITY
https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/02/07/1

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-22931?
CVE-2022-22931 is a security vulnerability in James server involving Path Traversal in Apache James Server under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal').
Which James server versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 3.6.2 across affected packages: org.apache.james:james-server.
What version fixes CVE-2022-22931?
Upgrading to 3.6.2 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is james-server affected?
Yes, org.apache.james:james-server is affected in releases prior to 3.6.2. Upgrade your dependency to 3.6.2 or later.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2022-22931?
CVE-2022-22931 is classified under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') (The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2022-22931?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.james'. 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-v84g-cf5j-xjqx",
  "modified" : "2022-02-08T20:38:52Z",
  "published" : "2022-02-08T00:00:34Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2022-22931" ],
  "summary" : "Path Traversal in Apache James Server",
  "details" : "Apache James Server prior to version 3.6.2 contains a path traversal vulnerability. The fix for CVE-2021-40525 does not prepend delimiters upon valid directory validations. Affected implementations include: - maildir mailbox store - Sieve file repository This enables a user to access other users data stores (limited to user names being prefixed by the value of the username being used).",
  "severity" : [ ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.james:james-server"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.6.2"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-22931"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/james-project/pull/877"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/james-project/pull/877/commits/b1e891a9e5eeadfa1d779ae50f21c73efe4d2fc7"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/james-project"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread/bp8yql4wws56jlh0vxoowj7foothsmpr"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/02/07/1"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-22" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2022-02-08T20:38:52Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2022-02-07T19:15:00Z"
  }
}