CVE-2022-22909: Digitaldruid HotelDruid RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2022-22909 Overview

CVE-2022-22909 is a remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability discovered in HotelDruid v3.0.3, an open-source hotel management software. The vulnerability exists in the Create New Room module, where an attacker can inject a crafted payload into the name field to achieve arbitrary code execution on the target server. This code injection vulnerability (CWE-94) allows authenticated attackers with low privileges to fully compromise the affected system.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers can achieve remote code execution on HotelDruid v3.0.3 servers by injecting malicious payloads into the room name field, potentially leading to complete system compromise.

Affected Products

• HotelDruid v3.0.3
• Digitaldruid HotelDruid installations running version 3.0.3

Discovery Timeline

• 2022-03-03 - CVE-2022-22909 published to NVD
• 2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2022-22909

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as a Code Injection flaw (CWE-94), which allows attackers to inject and execute arbitrary code within the application context. The attack requires network access and low-privilege authentication, meaning any user with access to the Create New Room functionality can potentially exploit this vulnerability.

The exploitation occurs through the name field in the Create New Room module. When an attacker submits a specially crafted payload as the room name, the application fails to properly sanitize or validate the input before processing it. This allows the injected code to be executed on the server with the privileges of the web application.

Given that HotelDruid is typically deployed to manage hotel operations, successful exploitation could result in unauthorized access to guest data, booking information, financial records, and potential lateral movement to other systems on the network.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in insufficient input validation and sanitization in the Create New Room module. The application fails to properly filter or escape user-supplied input in the name field before processing it, allowing malicious code to be injected and executed. This represents a classic code injection pattern where user input is treated as executable code rather than data.

Attack Vector

The attack is conducted over the network and requires the attacker to have low-level authentication to the HotelDruid application. Once authenticated, the attacker navigates to the Create New Room functionality and submits a crafted payload in the name field. The malicious input is processed by the server, resulting in code execution.

The network-based attack vector combined with low privilege requirements makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous for internet-facing HotelDruid installations. No user interaction is required beyond the attacker's own actions, enabling fully automated exploitation once valid credentials are obtained.

For detailed technical analysis and proof-of-concept information, refer to the GitHub PoC Repository.

Detection Methods for CVE-2022-22909

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual or malformed entries in the room names database containing code-like syntax or special characters
• Unexpected processes spawned by the web server or PHP processes
• Web server logs showing unusual POST requests to the Create New Room endpoint with encoded or obfuscated payloads
• Signs of webshell deployment or unauthorized file creation in the web directory

Detection Strategies

• Monitor web application logs for suspicious input patterns in the Create New Room functionality, particularly payloads containing PHP code, system commands, or encoded content
• Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block code injection attempts in form submissions
• Deploy file integrity monitoring on the HotelDruid installation directory to detect unauthorized modifications
• Review database entries for room names containing suspicious strings or code patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging for the HotelDruid application and web server to capture detailed request information
• Configure alerts for process execution anomalies originating from the web server context
• Monitor network traffic for unusual outbound connections from the HotelDruid server that may indicate command and control communication
• Implement behavioral analysis to detect post-exploitation activities such as privilege escalation or lateral movement

How to Mitigate CVE-2022-22909

Immediate Actions Required

• Verify if your HotelDruid installation is running version 3.0.3 and prioritize remediation
• Restrict network access to the HotelDruid application to trusted IP ranges only
• Review user accounts with access to the Create New Room functionality and apply the principle of least privilege
• Consider taking internet-facing HotelDruid instances offline until patched or implement compensating controls

Patch Information

Organizations should check the HotelDruid official website for updated versions that address this vulnerability. Upgrade to the latest available version of HotelDruid that includes security fixes for CVE-2022-22909.

Workarounds

• Implement input validation at the web server or reverse proxy level to filter potentially malicious payloads before they reach the application
• Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block code injection patterns in HTTP requests
• Restrict access to the Create New Room module to only essential personnel
• Isolate the HotelDruid server on a segmented network to limit the impact of potential compromise

# Example: Restrict access to HotelDruid admin functions via Apache configuration
<Location "/hoteldruid/admin">
    Require ip 10.0.0.0/8
    Require ip 192.168.0.0/16
</Location>