CVE-2022-24637: Open Web Analytics Info Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2022-24637 Overview

CVE-2022-24637 is a critical information disclosure vulnerability in Open Web Analytics (OWA) versions prior to 1.7.4. This vulnerability allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to obtain sensitive user information, which can be leveraged to gain administrative privileges through cache hashes. The root cause is a PHP file handling flaw where files generated with '<?php (single quote followed by PHP opening tag) instead of the intended "<?php sequence are not properly processed by the PHP interpreter, resulting in the exposure of sensitive cached data.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated attackers can exploit this vulnerability to extract sensitive information and escalate privileges to administrator level, potentially leading to complete system compromise and remote code execution.

Affected Products

Open Web Analytics versions prior to 1.7.4
Openwebanalytics Open Web Analytics (all versions below 1.7.4)

Discovery Timeline

2022-03-18 - CVE-2022-24637 published to NVD
2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2022-24637

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability represents an information disclosure issue stemming from improper handling of PHP file generation within the Open Web Analytics caching mechanism. When OWA generates cache files, it uses an incorrect PHP opening tag format ('<?php with a leading single quote) instead of the standard <?php sequence. This malformed tag prevents the PHP interpreter from recognizing the file as executable PHP code, causing the server to return the raw file contents—including sensitive cached information such as user credentials and session data—to unauthenticated requesters.

The exposed cache hashes can be weaponized by attackers to authenticate as administrator users, effectively bypassing authentication controls entirely. Once admin access is obtained, attackers can leverage additional functionality within OWA to achieve remote code execution on the underlying server.

Root Cause

The vulnerability originates from a coding error in the cache file generation routine where the PHP opening tag is incorrectly constructed. The use of '<?php (with a leading single quote character) instead of the proper <?php sequence causes the PHP interpreter to treat the entire file as plain text rather than executable code. This design flaw results in the web server serving the cache file contents directly to any requesting client without server-side processing, exposing sensitive authentication materials.

Attack Vector

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability remotely over the network without requiring any authentication or user interaction. The attack proceeds as follows:

The attacker identifies an OWA installation running a vulnerable version (prior to 1.7.4)
The attacker crafts requests to access cache files that contain the malformed PHP tags
Due to the PHP interpreter bypass, the server returns raw cache file contents including user hashes
The attacker extracts administrator password hashes from the exposed cache data
Using the obtained hashes, the attacker authenticates as an administrator
With admin privileges, the attacker can upload malicious plugins or modify configurations to achieve remote code execution

Technical details and proof-of-concept information are available in the Packet Storm RCE Report and the developer's security blog post.

Detection Methods for CVE-2022-24637

Indicators of Compromise

Unusual access patterns to OWA cache directories or files with .php extensions
Web server logs showing direct requests to cache file paths that return 200 status codes with large response bodies
Authentication events showing successful admin logins from previously unseen or suspicious IP addresses
Evidence of new or modified PHP files in the OWA installation directory following unauthorized access

Detection Strategies

Monitor web server access logs for requests targeting OWA cache directories (/owa-data/caches/ or similar paths)
Implement file integrity monitoring on the OWA installation directory to detect unauthorized modifications
Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules to block direct access to cache file locations
Review authentication logs for anomalous administrator login activity, particularly from external IP addresses

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable verbose logging on the web server hosting OWA to capture all requests to the application
Configure alerting for any successful authentication events to the OWA admin panel from new IP addresses
Implement network-level monitoring for outbound connections from the OWA server that may indicate post-exploitation activity
Regularly audit user accounts and permissions within OWA for unauthorized changes

How to Mitigate CVE-2022-24637

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade Open Web Analytics to version 1.7.4 or later immediately
If immediate upgrade is not possible, restrict network access to the OWA installation to trusted IP addresses only
Review web server access logs for evidence of prior exploitation attempts
Reset all user passwords, particularly administrator accounts, after upgrading to the patched version
Audit the OWA installation directory for any unauthorized files or modifications

Patch Information

Open Web Analytics version 1.7.4 addresses this vulnerability by correcting the PHP opening tag format in cache file generation. The fix ensures that generated cache files use the proper <?php sequence, allowing the PHP interpreter to process these files correctly and prevent exposure of sensitive data.

The official release notes and patched version are available at the GitHub Release Notes 1.7.4.

Workarounds

Configure the web server (Apache, Nginx) to deny direct access to the OWA cache directories via access control rules
Place the OWA installation behind a reverse proxy with authentication requirements for all access
Implement network-level access controls to restrict OWA access to internal networks or VPN users only
Consider temporarily disabling the OWA installation if it cannot be patched or protected through other means

bash

# Example Apache configuration to block cache directory access
<Directory "/var/www/html/owa/owa-data/caches">
    Order deny,allow
    Deny from all
</Directory>

# Example Nginx configuration to block cache directory access
location ~ /owa-data/caches {
    deny all;
    return 403;
}