CVE-2022-33891: Apache Spark Command Injection Vulnerability

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2022-33891 is a high (CVSS 8.8) OS Command Injection vulnerability in Apache Spark. It is known to be exploited: CISA lists it, first on 07-03-2023. EPSS estimates a 93.24% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 99.8% of scored vulnerabilities. 2 public exploits are recorded.

Timeline

1. 18-07-2022
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 07-03-2023
   Added to CISA KEVApache Spark Command Injection Vulnerability
3. 28-03-2023
   CISA remediation dueApply updates per vendor instructions.
4. 21-10-2025
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

The Apache Spark UI offers the possibility to enable ACLs via the configuration option spark.acls.enable. With an authentication filter, this checks whether a user has access permissions to view or modify the application. If ACLs are enabled, a code path in HttpSecurityFilter can allow someone to perform impersonation by providing an arbitrary user name. A malicious user might then be able to reach a permission check function that will ultimately build a Unix shell command based on their input, and execute it. This will result in arbitrary shell command execution as the user Spark is currently running as. This affects Apache Spark versions 3.0.3 and earlier, versions 3.1.1 to 3.1.2, and versions 3.2.0 to 3.2.1.

• CWE-78Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command when it is sent to a downstream component.