CVE-2022-39249
Matrix Javascript SDK vulnerable to impersonation via forwarded Megolm sessions
- State
- Published
- Severity
- 7.5 High
- Published
- Sep 28, 2022
- Updated
- Apr 23, 2025
- Reserved
- Sep 2, 2022
Description
Matrix Javascript SDK is the Matrix Client-Server SDK for JavaScript. Prior to version 19.7.0, an attacker cooperating with a malicious homeserver can construct messages appearing to have come from another person. Such messages will be marked with a grey shield on some platforms, but this may be missing in others. This attack is possible due to the matrix-js-sdk implementing a too permissive key forwarding strategy on the receiving end. Starting with version 19.7.0, the default policy for accepting key forwards has been made more strict in the matrix-js-sdk. matrix-js-sdk will now only accept forwarded keys in response to previously issued requests and only from own, verified devices. The SDK now sets a `trusted` flag on the decrypted message upon decryption, based on whether the key used to decrypt the message was received from a trusted source. Clients need to ensure that messages decrypted with a key with `trusted = false` are decorated appropriately, for example, by showing a warning for such messages. This attack requires coordination between a malicious homeserver and an attacker, and those who trust your homeservers do not need a workaround.
Scores
| CVSS | Score | Vector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | 7.5 High | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N | GitHub_M |
Weaknesses
Affected Products
| Product | Versions |
|---|---|
matrix-js-sdkmatrix-org |
|
References
- https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-js-sdk/commit/a587d7c36026fe1fcf93dfff63588abee359be76
- https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-js-sdk/releases/tag/v19.7.0
- https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-js-sdk/security/advisories/GHSA-6263-x97c-c4gg
- https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-spec-proposals/pull/3061
- https://matrix.org/blog/2022/09/28/upgrade-now-to-address-encryption-vulns-in-matrix-sdks-and-clients
- GLSA-202210-35vendor-advisory
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