title: SpEL Injection in `PUT /api/v1/policies` in OpenMetadata
description: OpenMetadata is a unified platform for discovery, observability, and governance powered by a central metadata repository, in-depth lineage, and seamless team collaboration. `CompiledRule::validateExpression` is also called from `PolicyRepository.prepare`. `prepare()` is called from `EntityRepository.prepareInternal()` which, in turn, gets called from `EntityResource.createOrUpdate()`. Note that even though there is an authorization check (`authorizer.authorize()`), it gets called after `prepareInternal()` gets called and therefore after the SpEL expression has been evaluated. In order to reach this method, an attacker can send a PUT request to `/api/v1/policies` which gets handled by `PolicyResource.createOrUpdate()`. This vulnerability was discovered with the help of CodeQL's Expression language injection (Spring) query and is also tracked as `GHSL-2023-252`. This issue may lead to Remote Code Execution and has been addressed in version 1.3.1. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.
problem types: CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
affected:
{
vendor: open-metadata
product: OpenMetadata
versions:
version: < 1.3.1, status: affected
}
metrics:
cvssV3_1: [
attackComplexity: LOW
attackVector: NETWORK
availabilityImpact: LOW
baseScore: 9.4
baseSeverity: CRITICAL
confidentialityImpact: HIGH
integrityImpact: HIGH
privilegesRequired: NONE
scope: UNCHANGED
userInteraction: NONE
vectorString: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L
version: 3.1
]