MEDIUM CVSS 6.1
Published: 2022-11-10

CVE-2022-35740

dotcms dotcms Security Advisory (CVE-2022-35740)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2022-35740 impacting dotcms dotcms. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 6.1 (MEDIUM).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
dotCMS before 22.06 allows remote attackers to bypass intended access control and obtain sensitive information by using a semicolon in a URL to introduce a matrix parameter. (This is also fixed in 5.3.8.12, 21.06.9, and 22.03.2 for LTS users.) Some Java application frameworks, including those used by Spring or Tomcat, allow the use of matrix parameters: these are URI parameters separated by semicolons. Through precise semicolon placement in a URI, it is possible to exploit this feature to avoid dotCMS's path-based XSS prevention (such as "require login" filters), and consequently access restricted resources. For example, an attacker could place a semicolon immediately before a / character that separates elements of a filesystem path. This could reveal file content that is ordinarily only visible to signed-in users. This issue can be chained with other exploit code to achieve XSS attacks against dotCMS.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
Required (UI:R)
User must click or open resource
Scope
Changed (S:C)
Impacts components beyond caller authority
Confidentiality
Low (C:L)
Partial information leakage
Integrity
Low (I:L)
Partial data modification possible
Availability
None (A:N)
No system availability impact

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product dotcms / dotcms
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-79

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2022-35740 impacting dotcms dotcms.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2022-35740.yaml
id: cve-2022-35740

info:
  name: dotcms dotcms - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: medium
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2022-35740 affecting dotcms dotcms.
    Evaluation: dotCMS before 22.06 allows remote attackers to bypass intended access control and obtain sensitive information by using a semicolon in a URL to introd...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2022-35740
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
    cvss-score: 6.1
    cve-id: CVE-2022-35740
    cwe-id: CWE-79
  tags: cve,cve-2022-35740,dotcms,dotcms,medium

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "dotcms"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2022-35740.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2022-35740
# Target: dotcms dotcms | CVSS: 6.1 (MEDIUM)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2022-35740 (dotcms dotcms)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against dotcms dotcms scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2022-35740.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2022-35740
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install dotcms 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade dotcms 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update dotcms

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i dotcms 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i dotcms

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2022-35740 in dotcms dotcms?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update dotcms dotcms packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2022-35740?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2022-35740?

CVE-2022-35740 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 6.1 (MEDIUM). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
6.1
MEDIUM SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2022-35740
Weakness CWE-79
Vendor dotcms
Product dotcms
Published 2022-11-10
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N