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Cross-Site Request Forgery occurrences in Spree Auth Devise

spree_auth_devise is an open source library which provides authentication and authorization services for use with the Spree storefront framework by using an underlying Devise authentication framework. In affected versions spree_auth_devise is subject to a CSRF vulnerability that allows user account takeover. All applications using any version of the frontend component of spree_auth_devise are affected if protect_from_forgery method is both: Executed whether as: A before_action callback (the default). A prepend_before_action (option prepend: true given) before the :load_object hook in Spree::UserController (most likely order to find). Configured to use :null_session or :reset_session strategies (:null_session is the default in case the no strategy is given, but rails --new generated skeleton use :exception). Users are advised to update their spree_auth_devise gem. For users unable to update it may be possible to change your strategy to :exception. Please see the linked GHSA for more workaround details. ### Impact CSRF vulnerability that allows user account takeover. All applications using any version of the frontend component of `spree_auth_devise` are affected if `protect_from_forgery` method is both: * Executed whether as: * A before_action callback (the default) * A prepend_before_action (option prepend: true given) before the :load_object hook in Spree::UserController (most likely order to find). * Configured to use :null_session or :reset_session strategies (:null_session is the default in case the no strategy is given, but rails --new generated skeleton use :exception). That means that applications that haven't been configured differently from what it's generated with Rails aren't affected. Thanks @waiting-for-dev for reporting and providing a patch ? ### Patches Spree 4.3 users should update to spree_auth_devise 4.4.1 Spree 4.2 users should update to spree_auth_devise 4.2.1 ### Workarounds If possible, change your strategy to :exception: ```ruby class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base protect_from_forgery with: :exception end ``` Add the following to`config/application.rb `to at least run the `:exception` strategy on the affected controller: ```ruby config.after_initialize do Spree::UsersController.protect_from_forgery with: :exception end ``` ### References https://github.com/solidusio/solidus_auth_devise/security/advisories/GHSA-xm34-v85h-9pg2 (2021-11-17, CVE-2021-41275)

Why Cross-Site Request Forgery can be dangerous

The absence of Anti-CSRF tokens may lead to a Cross-Site Request Forgery attack that can result in executing a specific application action as another logged in user, e.g. steal their account by changing their email and password or silently adding a new admin user account when executed from the administrator account.

The attacker may copy one of your web application forms, e.g. email/password change form.

The webpage will contain a form with the exact set of fields as the original application but with input values already provided and the submit button replaced with a Javascript code causing auto-submission. When the page is accessed the form will be immediately submitted and page contents replaced with a valid content or a redirect to your original application.

One of your application users who is already logged in can be then tricked to navigate to such malicious page e.g. by clicking a link in a phishing email, and the pre-populated form content will be submitted to your application like it would be submitted by your user.

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