CVE-2023-1419 - Script Injection in Debezium Database Connector

Modern databases power nearly every web application, and data sync tools like Debezium have become vital for keeping information up-to-date across platforms. But sometimes, these connectors have flaws that open doors for attackers. One of them is CVE-2023-1419, a script injection vulnerability found in the Debezium connector for databases. In this post, we’ll break down what this bug is, how it can be exploited, see some code examples, and discuss how to keep your systems safe.

What is Debezium?

Debezium is an open-source distributed platform for change data capture (CDC). It monitors your databases and streams all changes in real time, letting your applications stay up to date with no manual data polling.

About CVE-2023-1419

In February 2023, security researchers discovered that Debezium’s database connector was not sanitizing input parameters properly. Specifically, it was possible for an attacker to inject malicious scripts through specific parameters used in the connector’s API.

If exploited, the attacker could inject JavaScript or other scripts into the application responses, potentially exposing sensitive information or letting them manipulate the database sync process.

Vulnerability type: Script injection (similar to stored XSS)

- Impacted version: Debezium versions before the patched release (check the advisory for your version)

References

- Debezium Advisory – CVE-2023-1419
- GitHub Issue
- Original Security Report

How the Exploit Works

When Debezium receives configuration requests (for example, through its REST interface or during connector set up), it takes parameters that are then fed into the app's logs, status pages, or API responses. The application failed to sanitize these inputs, so an attacker could include malicious code in these fields.

This is what an attacker could do in a nutshell

1. Send request to the Debezium connector API with a malicious script embedded in a parameter (such as the "name" of a connector).
2. Wait for the parameter to show up on a dashboard or in an API response (for example, in JSON output).
3. If that output renders in an environment that executes JavaScript (like some custom web dashboards, poorly configured logging viewers, etc.), the malicious code will execute.

That may let the attacker see confidential data or even hijack sessions.

Let’s assume you set up Debezium using a REST API call

{
  "name": "<script>alert('Gotcha!')</script>",
  "config": {
    "connector.class": "io.debezium.connector.mysql.MySqlConnector",
    "tasks.max": "1",
    "database.hostname": "localhost",
    /* other params */
  }
}

Using curl

curl -X POST \
  http://localhost:8083/connectors \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
        "name": "<script>alert(\"Gotcha!\")</script>",
        "config": {
           /* connector config */
        }
      }'

When the user or admin opens the connectors list in a web interface (or views the response), the injected script could execute:

{
  "name": "<script>alert('Gotcha!')</script>",
  "tasks": [ ... ],
  "type": "source"
}

If your admin dashboard just dumps this JSON response into the DOM without escaping, the alert pops up—and in a real attack, stolen cookies or more dangerous actions might happen.

Exploit Details

- Step 1: Find an API endpoint or admin dashboard that displays unsanitized parameters from Debezium connector configuration.
- Step 2: Craft a payload – classic <script>, event handlers, or even <img src=x onerror=alert('XSS')>.
- Step 3: Insert that payload as a parameter (like the name field) via a connector creation or update API call.
- Step 4: Get the target (admin, another service) to load a page or response that includes your injected value.

Step 5: When the data displays without escaping, your script runs.

Note: The direct impact depends on how you integrate Debezium. If you use its REST API/outputs to power a web dashboard and display raw values with no encoding, you're especially at risk.

Patch and Mitigation

Debezium maintainers released a fix. Upgrade to the latest version ASAP and do not trust user input in any configuration, ever.

- Apply the vendor patch – see Debezium Releases

[ ] Are your Debezium nodes updated to a patched version?

- [ ] Does your UI escape user output? Test by submitting harmless <b>test</b> names.
- [ ] Limit who can submit new connectors/config to trusted users only.

Summary

CVE-2023-1419 might seem boring, but script injection is still one of the most common and dangerous web security bugs. It sneaks in any time an app trusts input too much. If you’re running Debezium or any other CDC tool, always sanitize and update! Trust, but verify.

For advanced details, always check the NVD CVE-2023-1419 entry and Debezium’s official site.

Timeline

Published on: 11/17/2024 11:15:05 UTC
Last modified on: 11/18/2024 17:11:17 UTC