Recently, a significant security flaw was identified in Apache Tomcat, labelled USN-6880-1, which could potentially allow attackers to conduct HTTP request smuggling attacks. This vulnerability affects multiple versions of Tomcat and springs from the improper handling of invalid Content-Length headers within HTTP requests.
The vulnerability, cataloged under CVE-2022-42252, impacts versions 8.5.0 to 8.5.82, 9.0.0-M1 to 9.0.67, 10.0.0-M1 to 10.0.26, and 10.1.0-M1 to 10.1.0 of Apache Tomcat. It centers on the default configuration of Tomcat where the rejectIllegalHeader setting is set to false. This setting, particularly prevalent in versions 8.5.x, implies that Tomcat does not validate certain malformed HTTP headers. Consequently, the presence of an invalid Content-Length header in a request does not lead to its rejection.
This failure to reject malformed headers exposes applications to advanced web attacks such as HTTP request smuggling. This type of cyber attack manipulates the interpretation of HTTP requests between the web server and the client. If the Tomcat server is positioned behind a reverse proxy that similarly overlooks the malformed headers, the risk is considerably magnified, making the applications particularly vulnerable.
HTTP request smuggling can lead to several high-risk security breaches including web cache poisoning, session hijacking, and cross-site scripting (XSS). The threat actors can exploit this vulnerability to bypass security controls, gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, and potentially take over the control of the affected servers.
For system administrators and security professionals using Apache Tomcarbonight, it is paramount to address this vulnerability immediately. The first step in mitigating this risk involves adjusting the rejectIllegalHeader setting on your Tomcat installations to true, ensuring that all HTTP headers are properly validated.
Further protective measures include updating the affected Tomcat versions to the latest releases where this vulnerability has been resolved. Patches are available for all affected versions, and it is crucial to apply these updates without delay to prevent potential exploits.
Understanding the technical severity and potential impacts of CVE-2022-42252 is essential for maintaining the security integrity of your IT infrastructure. Prompt action and adherence to recommended security practices can safeguard your systems against such intricate attacks.
For comprehensive guidance on securing your installations and detailed patching instructions, visit LinuxPatch.com.
Stay vigilant, and ensure your systems are always up to date with the latest security patches to defend against evolving cybersecurity threats.