CVE-2022-27474
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2022-27474 is a remote code execution vulnerability in SuiteCRM v7.11.23 that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by injecting a crafted payload into the FirstName text field. This affects all organizations running the vulnerable version of SuiteCRM, potentially compromising the entire application and underlying server.
💻 Affected Systems
- SuiteCRM
📦 What is this software?
Suitecrm by Salesagility
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise allowing attackers to execute arbitrary commands, steal sensitive data, install malware, pivot to other systems, and maintain persistent access.
Likely Case
Attacker gains shell access to the web server, exfiltrates database contents (including user credentials and business data), and potentially installs backdoors or ransomware.
If Mitigated
Attack is blocked at the network perimeter or detected before significant damage occurs, with only attempted exploitation logged.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authentication to access the FirstName field, but the public PoC makes weaponization straightforward for attackers with valid credentials.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: v7.11.24 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/salesagility/SuiteCRM/releases
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Backup your SuiteCRM installation and database. 2. Download the latest version from the official SuiteCRM repository. 3. Follow the SuiteCRM upgrade documentation to apply the update. 4. Verify the update was successful by checking the version.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Input Validation Filter
allImplement strict input validation and sanitization for the FirstName field to block malicious payloads.
# Modify the FirstName field validation in SuiteCRM code to reject special characters and limit length
Web Application Firewall Rules
allDeploy WAF rules to detect and block RCE payload patterns in FirstName field submissions.
# Example ModSecurity rule: SecRule ARGS:FirstName "@rx (system|exec|shell_exec|passthru)" "id:1001,phase:2,deny,status:403,msg:'RCE attempt detected'"
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation to isolate the SuiteCRM server from critical systems
- Deploy application-level monitoring and alerting for suspicious FirstName field modifications
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if your SuiteCRM version is exactly v7.11.23 by navigating to Admin > System Settings in the SuiteCRM interface.Check Version:
# Check SuiteCRM version via database: SELECT value FROM config WHERE category = 'system' AND name = 'suitecrm_version';Verify Fix Applied:
After updating, verify the version shows v7.11.24 or higher in the Admin > System Settings page.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual FirstName field entries containing system commands or special characters
- Multiple failed login attempts followed by successful login and FirstName modification
- Web server logs showing execution of system commands
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections from SuiteCRM server to unknown external IPs
- Unusual traffic patterns from SuiteCRM server
SIEM Query:
source="suitecrm.logs" AND (FirstName CONTAINS "system(" OR FirstName CONTAINS "exec(" OR FirstName CONTAINS "`" OR FirstName CONTAINS "$")