Vulnerability DatabaseCVE-2023-46131

CVE-2023-46131:
Java vulnerability analysis and mitigation

Overview

A security vulnerability (CVE-2023-46131) was discovered in the Grails framework's data binding functionality. The vulnerability was identified by researchers Wenbo Shen, Rui Chang, crane from Zhejiang University, and two other researchers from Antgroup FG Security Lab. The issue affects Grails versions from 2.x through 6.0.x, with patches released in versions 3.3.17, 4.1.3, 5.3.4, and 6.1.0 (Grails Blog, GitHub Advisory).

Technical details

The vulnerability exists in the grails-databinding module where a specially crafted web request can trigger internal server errors during data binding operations. The issue has been assigned a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with the vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H, indicating a network-accessible vulnerability requiring no privileges or user interaction (GitHub Advisory).

Impact

When exploited, the vulnerability can cause persistent internal server errors that continue even after the attack has ended and valid requests are being processed. In more severe cases, the attack can cause the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) to crash completely. The only way to restore normal operation is to restart the server (Grails Blog).

Mitigation and workarounds

The Grails Team strongly recommends upgrading to the patched versions: 6.1.0, 5.3.6, 4.1.4, or 3.3.18. There are no viable workarounds for this vulnerability except completely avoiding data binding functionality. The vulnerability must be addressed through version upgrades (Grails Blog).

Community reactions

The Grails Foundation and development team have acknowledged the severity of the vulnerability and are actively monitoring the situation. They have established communication channels through GitHub discussions and their support email for users requiring assistance with upgrades or having questions about the vulnerability (Grails Blog).