jvz commented on code in PR #374: URL: https://github.com/apache/commons-text/pull/374#discussion_r998317157
########## src/site/xdoc/index.xml: ########## @@ -41,6 +41,41 @@ The <a href="scm.html">Git repository</a> can be </p> </section> <!-- ================================================== --> +<section name="Security"> + <subsection name="CVE-2022-42889 prior to 1.10.0, RCE when applied to untrusted input"> + <p> + On 2022-10-13, the Apache Commons Text team disclosed <a href="https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2022-42889";>CVE-2022-42889</a>. Key takeaways: + <ul> + <li>If you rely on software that uses a version of commons-text prior to 1.10.0, you are likely still not vulnerable: only if this software uses the <code>StringSubstitutor</code> API without propery sanitizing any untrusted input.</li> + <li>If your own software uses commons-text, double-check whether it uses the <code>StringSubstitutor</code> API without propery sanitizing any untrusted input. If so, an update to 1.10.0 could be a quick workaround, but the recommended solution is to also properly validate and sanitize any untrusted input.</li> + </ul> + </p> + <p> + Apache Commons Text is a low-level library for performing various text operations, such as escaping, calculating string differences, and substituting placeholders in the text with values looked up through interpolators. When using the string substitution feature, some of the available interpolators can trigger network access or code execution. This is intended, but it also means an application that includes user input in the string passed to the substitution without properly sanitizing it would allow an attacker to trigger those interpolators. + </p> + <p>For that reason the Apache Commons Text team have decided to update the configuration to be more "secure by default", so that the impact of a failure to validate inputs is mitigated and will not give an attacker access to these interpolators. However, it is still recommended that users treat untrusted input with care. + </p> + <p> + We're not currently aware of any applications that pass untrusted input to the substitutor and thus would have been impacted by this problem prior to Apache Commons Text 1.10.0. + </p> + <p> + This issue is different from <a href="https://logging.apache.org/log4j/2.x/security.html";>Log4Shell (CVE-2021-44228)</a> because in Log4Shell, string interpolation was possible from the log message body, which commonly contains untrusted input. In the Apache Common Text issue, the relevant method is explicitly intended and clearly documented to perform string interpolation, so it is much less likely that applications would inadvertently pass in untrusted input without proper validation. Review Comment: ```suggestion This issue is different from <a href="https://logging.apache.org/log4j/2.x/security.html#log4j-2.15.0";>Log4Shell (CVE-2021-44228)</a> because in Log4Shell, string interpolation was possible from the log message body, which commonly contains untrusted input. In the Apache Common Text issue, the relevant method is explicitly intended and clearly documented to perform string interpolation, so it is much less likely that applications would inadvertently pass in untrusted input without proper validation. ``` More direct link to the specific CVE mentioned. -- This is an automated message from the Apache Git Service. To respond to the message, please log on to GitHub and use the URL above to go to the specific comment. To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] For queries about this service, please contact Infrastructure at: [email protected]
