# What is CVE-2022-23538? > CVE-2022-23538 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.6) in Singularity Container Services Library from Sylabs, published on 17 January 2023. It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 0.7%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix. Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2022-23538 ## At a glance - **Verdict:** Plan it in. No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle. - **Precursor Intelligence risk score:** 47 out of 100 (Medium); action: Plan remediation. Kept up to date as the evidence changes. - **Severity:** High (CVSS 7.6 out of 10) - **Known to be exploited:** No, not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today - **Chance of use in the next 30 days:** 0.7% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast) - **Published:** 17 January 2023 - **Record last updated:** 14 July 2023 - **Main product:** Singularity Container Services Library from Sylabs - **Affected products:** 1 ## What is CVE-2022-23538? In plain terms It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet with an ordinary user account, but a person has to take an action first. If it works, the attacker can read data. ### The official description github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client is the Go client for the Singularity Container Services (SCS) Container Library Service. When the scs-library-client is used to pull a container image, with authentication, the HTTP Authorization header sent by the client to the library service may be incorrectly leaked to an S3 backing storage provider. This occurs in a specific flow, where the library service redirects the client to a backing S3 storage server, to perform a multi-part concurrent download. Depending on site configuration, the S3 service may be provided by a third party. An attacker with access to the S3 service may be able to extract user credentials, allowing them to impersonate the user. The vulnerable multi-part concurrent download flow, with redirect to S3, is only used when communicating with a Singularity Enterprise 1.x installation, or third party server implementing this flow. Interaction with Singularity Enterprise 2.x, and Singularity Container Services (cloud.sylabs.io), does not trigger the vulnerable flow. We encourage all users to update. Users who interact with a Singularity Enterprise 1.x installation, using a 3rd party S3 storage service, are advised to revoke and recreate their authentication tokens within Singularity Enterprise. There is no workaround available at this time. ### What kind of flaw is it? - CWE-522: Insufficiently Protected Credentials ### How an attack on it works - Where an attacker can be: Anywhere on the internet - How hard it is to pull off: Easy: no special conditions - Login needed first: An ordinary user account - Does someone have to click: Yes, a person has to take an action - What an attacker gets: Can read data Severity vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N` ## Is CVE-2022-23538 being exploited? Not that we know of It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 0.7%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching. Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: 0.7%, 0.7%, 0.7%, 0.7%, 0.7%, 0.7%, 0.7%. ### Timeline - 17 January 2023: Published - 14 July 2023: Record last updated ### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it CVE-2022-23538 scores **47 out of 100 (Medium)**, with the action "Plan remediation". Every published flaw gets a risk score from 0 to 100, kept up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, from the one that counts most to the ones that count less: - Evidence it is being exploited: biggest factor - How severe it is: strong factor - How widely exposed it is: smaller factor - Threat activity around it: smaller factor 85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score. When this flaw matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it. ## Who is affected by CVE-2022-23538? The published record lists 1 product. - [Singularity Container Services Library](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/sylabs/singularity_container_services_library) by [Sylabs](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/sylabs) (Application): 1.3.2, 1.3.3, 1.4.0, 1.4.1 ## How do I fix CVE-2022-23538? 1. **Check whether you run it.** Compare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list. 2. **Apply the vendor’s fix.** Install the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisories and patch notes first in the list. 3. **If you can’t patch today.** Follow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in. 4. **Keep an eye on it.** Track the product and we tell you as soon as we spot this flaw on the list of exploited flaws, or a jump in its exploit likelihood. ### References - [github.com](https://github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client/commit/68ac4cab5cda0afd8758ff5b5e2e57be6a22fcfa) (Patch, Third-party advisory) - [github.com](https://github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client/commit/b5db2aacba6bf1231f42dd475cc32e6355ab47b2) (Patch, Third-party advisory) - [github.com](https://github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client/commit/eebd7caaab310b1fa803e55b8fc1acd9dcd2d00c) (Patch, Third-party advisory) - [github.com](https://github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client/security/advisories/GHSA-7p8m-22h4-9pj7) (Third-party advisory) ## Questions ### What is CVE-2022-23538? CVE-2022-23538 is a high-severity flaw in Singularity Container Services Library from Sylabs, published on 17 January 2023. It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet with an ordinary user account, but a person has to take an action first. If it works, the attacker can read data. ### How serious is CVE-2022-23538? It scores 7.6 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is high. Our risk score for CVE-2022-23538 is 47 out of 100, which is Medium. Its action is "Plan remediation". No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle. ### Is CVE-2022-23538 being exploited? It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 0.7%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching. ### Which versions does CVE-2022-23538 affect? For Singularity Container Services Library from Sylabs: 1.3.2, 1.3.3, 1.4.0, 1.4.1. ### How do I fix CVE-2022-23538? Install the update the vendor names in its advisory, linked first under "How do I fix" on this page. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet. ## Does CVE-2022-23538 affect you? Precursor Intelligence keeps checking for you: - **Tell us what you run.** Pick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website. - **We match it to every flaw.** Over 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list. - **Ranked by real-world risk.** Every flaw gets a 0 to 100 risk score, kept up to date, led by evidence criminals are using it. - **Told as soon as we know.** An alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools. Start free (no card, nothing to install): https://www.precursorintelligence.com/register Book a demo: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/contact