A recently discovered vulnerability, CVE-2022-2650, has been identified in the GitHub repository wger-project/wger before version 2.2. This vulnerability allows would-be attackers to exploit improper restriction of excessive authentication attempts, making user accounts susceptible to brute force attacks.

In this blog post, we will discuss the details of this vulnerability, including how to exploit it and the consequences of such an exploit. Additionally, we will provide code snippets to demonstrate the vulnerability and suggest potential fixes for the issue.

Background

The wger project (located at https://github.com/wger-project/wger) is a web-based application designed for tracking personal fitness and nutrition data. It provides users with tools for managing their workout routines, monitoring their diets, and setting fitness-related goals.

Exploit Details

The CVE-2022-2650 vulnerability results from the absence of a mechanism to restrict the number of authentication attempts within a given time period. Consequently, an attacker can repeatedly attempt to authenticate into a user account using various username and password combinations, eventually succeeding in breaking into the account. This type of vulnerability is commonly known as a brute force attack.

The following code snippet from the wger project demonstrates the absence of account lockout logic during the authentication process:

def authenticate_user(request):
    username = request.POST['username']
    password = request.POST['password']

    user = authenticate(username=username, password=password)
    if user is not None:        
        login(request, user)        
        return redirect('dashboard')
    else:
        # The user has failed to authenticate, but there is no mechanism to 
        # prevent the attacker from continuing to make attempts.
        messages.error(request, _('Invalid username or password'))
        return redirect('login')

As shown above, there is no mechanism to stop users or attackers from constantly attempting to authenticate into the account with different username and password combinations.

Mitigation

To mitigate the CVE-2022-2650 vulnerability and protect user accounts from brute force attacks, developers must implement a security feature to restrict the number of login attempts within a specific time period. This can be achieved through several methods:

Account Lockout: Temporarily lock a user account after a set number of failed login attempts.

ACCOUNT_LOCKOUT_ATTEMPTS = 5
ACCOUNT_LOCKOUT_DURATION = 60  # in seconds

Implementing a time delay between authentication attempts

    if user is not None:
        login(request, user)
        return redirect('dashboard')
    else:
        failed_attempts = cache.get(f'failed_attempts_{request.META["REMOTE_ADDR"]}', )
        if failed_attempts >= ACCOUNT_LOCKOUT_ATTEMPTS:
            time.sleep(ACCOUNT_LOCKOUT_DURATION)
        failed_attempts += 1
        cache.set(f'failed_attempts_{request.META["REMOTE_ADDR"]}', failed_attempts, ACCOUNT_LOCKOUT_DURATION)

3. Adding a captcha mechanism to the login page, forcing users to complete the captcha before attempting to authenticate.

It is important to note that these measures can be more effective when combined in the application, ensuring stronger protection against brute force attacks.

Original References

- wger GitHub Repository
- CVE-2022-2650 Vulnerability Details

Conclusion

In conclusion, the CVE-2022-2650 vulnerability poses a considerable risk to user accounts, as it can potentially be exploited through brute force attacks to gain unauthorized access. It is essential for wger project maintainers to address this vulnerability by implementing proper account lockout mechanisms, time delays, or captcha mechanisms in their authentication process.

By mitigating this vulnerability, the wger project will protect its users from potential security breaches and create a more secure environment for tracking and managing personal fitness and nutrition data.

Timeline

Published on: 11/24/2022 17:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 11/30/2022 15:48:00 UTC