CVE-2022-28220: James server Apache James Vulnerable To Buffering Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-w45j-f5g5-w94x
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CVSS 7.5
CWE-77
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2022-28220 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) apache james vulnerable to buffering vulnerability (CWE-77: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')) affecting James server libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves apache james vulnerable to buffering attack. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 3.6.3, 3.7.1.

CVE-2022-28220 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2022-28220
GHSA Identifier GHSA-w45j-f5g5-w94x
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-77: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')
Affected Product James server
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.5

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

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2022-28220

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: 3.6.3 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.james</groupId>
    <artifactId>james-server</artifactId>
    <version>3.6.3</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.james:james-server fixed: 3.7.1 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.james</groupId>
    <artifactId>james-server</artifactId>
    <version>3.7.1</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-2022-28220, 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 3.6.3), 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-77: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection'), where the product constructs all or part of a command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended command when it is sent to a downstream component. 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 prior to release 3.6.3 and 3.7.1 is vulnerable to a buffering attack relying on the use of the STARTTLS command. Fix of CVE-2021-38542, which solved similar problem fron Apache James 3.6.1, is subject to a parser differential and do not take into account concurrent requests.

CVE-2022-28220 Affected James server Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
3.6.33.7.1
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.apache.james:james-server
maven/org.apache.james/james-server
Maven
< 3.6.3
3.6.3
org.apache.james:james-server
maven/org.apache.james/james-server
Maven
≥ 3.7.0
< 3.7.1
All 1 versions
3.7.0
3.7.1

References

NVD — CVE-2022-28220 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-28220
James server Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/apache/james-project
james.apache.org/james/update/2022/0... WEB
https://james.apache.org/james/update/2022/08/26/james-3.7.1.html
James server Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/09/20/1

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-28220?
CVE-2022-28220 is a security vulnerability in James server involving Apache James vulnerable to buffering attack under CWE-77: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection').
Which James server versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 3.6.3, 3.7.1 across affected packages: org.apache.james:james-server.
What version fixes CVE-2022-28220?
Upgrading to 3.6.3, 3.7.1 (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 3.6.3, 3.7.1. Upgrade your dependency to 3.6.3, 3.7.1 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2022-28220?
CVE-2022-28220 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2022-28220?
CVE-2022-28220 is classified under CWE-77: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection') (The product constructs all or part of a command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended command when it is sent to a downstream component.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2022-28220?
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-w45j-f5g5-w94x",
  "modified" : "2022-09-15T03:33:49Z",
  "published" : "2022-09-09T00:00:57Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2022-28220" ],
  "summary" : "Apache James vulnerable to buffering attack",
  "details" : "Apache James prior to release 3.6.3 and 3.7.1 is vulnerable to a buffering attack relying on the use of the STARTTLS command. Fix of CVE-2021-38542, which solved similar problem fron Apache James 3.6.1, is subject to a parser differential and do not take into account concurrent requests.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.james:james-server"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.6.3"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.james:james-server"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "3.7.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.7.1"
      } ]
    } ],
    "versions" : [ "3.7.0" ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-28220"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/james-project"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://james.apache.org/james/update/2022/08/26/james-3.7.1.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/09/20/1"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-77" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2022-09-15T03:33:49Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2022-09-08T08:15:00Z"
  }
}