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Commons ConfigurationApplication · Apache

CVE-2022-33980

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2022-07-06
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 2.8 or later.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Apache Commons Configuration performs variable interpolation, allowing properties to be dynamically evaluated and expanded. The standard format for interpolation is "${prefix:name}", where "prefix" is used to locate an instance of org.apache.commons.configuration2.interpol.Lookup that performs the interpolation. Starting with version 2.4 and continuing through 2.7, the set of default Lookup instances included interpolators that could result in arbitrary code execution or contact with remote servers. These lookups are: - "script" - execute expressions using the JVM script execution engine (javax.script) - "dns" - resolve dns records - "url" - load values from urls, including from remote servers Applications using the interpolation defaults in the affected versions may be vulnerable to remote code execution or unintentional contact with remote servers if untrusted configuration values are used. Users are recommended to upgrade to Apache Commons Configuration 2.8.0, which disables the problematic interpolators by default.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

Apache Commons Configuration versions 2.4-2.7 contain unsafe default interpolators that allow arbitrary code execution via the 'script' lookup (using JVM's javax.script engine), DNS resolution via 'dns' lookup, and remote server contact via 'url' lookup. When untrusted configuration values are processed through these interpolators, attackers can execute arbitrary code or exfiltrate data.

MitigationUpgrade to Apache Commons Configuration 2.8.0 or later, which disables the problematic interpolators by default. If interpolation is needed, explicitly enable only safe interpolators.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Commons ConfigurationApplication
Affected:>= 2.4, < 2.8
Debian LinuxOperating system
Affected:= 11.0
SnapcenterApplication
Affected:all versions

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Locate Apache Commons Configuration JAR and identify version
    Search for commons-configuration*.jar files in your application (check lib/, WEB-INF/lib/, classpath) and examine the filename or MANIFEST.MF for the version number
    Affected if The version is 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, or 2.7 (any version >= 2.4 and < 2.8)
  2. Confirm interpolation feature is in use
    Search your codebase for calls to Configuration.interpolate(), Configuration.getString() with variable expressions like ${variable}, or Configuration.subset() with interpolation enabled
    Affected if The application uses interpolation to resolve ${...} expressions in configuration values
  3. Check for untrusted input reaching interpolator
    Audit configuration sources (files, environment variables, system properties) to determine if any can be controlled by external users. Trace if user-supplied values flow into the configuration
    Affected if Untrusted or user-controlled data is processed through the configuration interpolation system
  4. Verify script/dns/url lookups are accessible
    Review your code or configuration for usage of ScriptLookupFactory.SCRIPT_PREFIX ('script:'), DnsLookup.DNS_PREFIX ('dns:'), or UrlLookup.URL_PREFIX ('url:') in expression strings, or check default interpolator setup
    Affected if The application permits or uses the 'script', 'dns', or 'url' lookup prefixes in configuration expressions

You are affected if you have Apache Commons Configuration version 2.4-2.7 AND your application processes untrusted configuration values through interpolation that allows access to the script, dns, or url lookups.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 2.8 or later
Fixed in 2.8
Interim mitigation

Upgrade to Apache Commons Configuration 2.8.0 or later, which disables the problematic interpolators by default. If interpolation is needed, explicitly enable only safe interpolators.

Recommended fix High confidence

Apache Commons Configuration 2.8.0

  1. 1. Identify all applications and dependencies that use Apache Commons Configuration version 2.4 through 2.7
  2. 2. Audit configuration files for use of interpolation with untrusted values (${script:...}, ${dns:...}, ${url:...})
  3. 3. Replace any untrusted interpolated values with static configuration or validated inputs
  4. 4. Upgrade Apache Commons Configuration to version 2.8.0 or later in all affected applications
  5. 5. Rebuild and redeploy applications with the updated dependency
  6. 6. Verify the application functions correctly after the upgrade
Caveat Minimal risk - 2.8.0 disables problematic interpolators by default; existing legitimate interpolation should continue to work unless custom InterpolatorSetup was used

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Commons Configuration Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA3.0 h
15.0 hours of engineering $2,600
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2022-33980 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data