What is CVE-2022-23538?

CVE-2022-23538 is a medium-severity open redirect vulnerability in github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client (go), affecting versions >= 1.4.0, < 1.4.2. It is fixed in 1.4.2, 1.3.4. Untrusted input controls a URL used for redirection, which can forward users to attacker-controlled sites.

How severe is CVE-2022-23538?

CVE-2022-23538 has a CVSS score of 5.2 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.

Which versions of github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client are affected by CVE-2022-23538?

github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client (go) versions >= 1.4.0, < 1.4.2 is affected.

Is there a fix for CVE-2022-23538?

Yes. CVE-2022-23538 is fixed in 1.4.2, 1.3.4. Upgrade to this version or later.

Is CVE-2022-23538 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2022-23538 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk.

What actually determines whether CVE-2022-23538 is exploitable, and how bad it is?

Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.

How do I fix CVE-2022-23538?

Upgrade: github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client to 1.4.2 or later, github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client to 1.3.4 or later.

CVE-2022-23538

Q: How severe is CVE-2022-23538?

CVE-2022-23538 has a CVSS score of 5.2 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.

Q: Which versions of github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client are affected by CVE-2022-23538?

github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client (go) versions >= 1.4.0, < 1.4.2 is affected.

Q: Is there a fix for CVE-2022-23538?

Yes. CVE-2022-23538 is fixed in 1.4.2, 1.3.4. Upgrade to this version or later.

Q: Is CVE-2022-23538 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2022-23538 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk.

Q: What actually determines whether CVE-2022-23538 is exploitable, and how bad it is?

Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.

Q: How do I fix CVE-2022-23538?

Upgrade: github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client to 1.4.2 or later, github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client to 1.3.4 or later.

Summary

scs-library-client may leak user credentials to third-party service via HTTP redirect

Workarounds

There is no workaround available at this time.

As above, access to Singularity Enterprise 2.x, or Singularity Container Services (cloud.sylabs.io), does not trigger the vulnerable flow.

References

https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/522.html

Impact

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.

Untrusted input controls a URL used for redirection, which can forward users to attacker-controlled sites. Typical impact: phishing and credential harvesting via a trusted domain.

CVE-2022-23538 has a CVSS score of 5.2 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, high privileges required, and user interaction required. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (1.4.2, 1.3.4); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Affected versions

github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client (>= 1.4.0, < 1.4.2) github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client (< 1.3.4)

Security releases

github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client → 1.4.2 (go) github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client → 1.3.4 (go)

Kodem intelligence

Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.

Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.

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Remediation advice

The security issue was identified after the integration of a bug-fix commit 68ac4ca into the previously released scs-library-client 1.3.4. This commit fixes the security issue in the 1.3 series.

scs-library-client 1.4.2 contains a fix for the same vulnerability in the 1.4 series, as commit eebd7ca.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-23538? CVE-2022-23538 is a medium-severity open redirect vulnerability in github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client (go), affecting versions >= 1.4.0, < 1.4.2. It is fixed in 1.4.2, 1.3.4. Untrusted input controls a URL used for redirection, which can forward users to attacker-controlled sites.
How severe is CVE-2022-23538? CVE-2022-23538 has a CVSS score of 5.2 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
Which versions of github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client are affected by CVE-2022-23538? github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client (go) versions >= 1.4.0, < 1.4.2 is affected.
Is there a fix for CVE-2022-23538? Yes. CVE-2022-23538 is fixed in 1.4.2, 1.3.4. Upgrade to this version or later.
Is CVE-2022-23538 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2022-23538 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
What actually determines whether CVE-2022-23538 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
How do I fix CVE-2022-23538?
- Upgrade github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client to 1.4.2 or later
- Upgrade github.com/sylabs/scs-library-client to 1.3.4 or later