# CVE-2022-31479: Remote Code Execution via command injection of the hostname

> Unauthenticated attackers can execute arbitrary shell commands via hostname injection on HID Mercury controllers, gaining remote access and persistence.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 6 Jun 2022
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-2pg7-j7hc-h682

## What is CVE-2022-31479?

CVE-2022-31479 is a critical command injection vulnerability in HID Mercury EP4502, published on 6 Jun 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

An unauthenticated attacker can update the hostname with a specially crafted name that will allow for shell commands to be executed during the core collection process. This vulnerability impacts products based on HID Mercury Intelligent Controllers LP1501, LP1502, LP2500, LP4502, and EP4502 which contain firmware versions prior to 1.302 for the LP series and 1.296 for the EP series. An attacker with this level of access on the device can monitor all communications sent to and from this device, modify onboard relays, change configuration files, or cause the device to become unstable. The injected commands only get executed during start up or when unsafe calls regarding the hostname are used. This allows the attacker to gain remote access to the device and can make their persistence permanent by modifying the filesystem.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command), CWE-693 (Protection Mechanism Failure)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-31479?

It affects 14 products.


Products: Carrier Lenels2 Lnl-4420 Firmware, Carrier Lenels2 Lnl-X2210 Firmware, Carrier Lenels2 Lnl-X2220 Firmware, Carrier Lenels2 Lnl-X3300 Firmware, Carrier Lenels2 Lnl-X4420 Firmware, Carrier Lenels2 S2-Lp-1501 Firmware, Carrier Lenels2 S2-Lp-1502 Firmware, Carrier Lenels2 S2-Lp-2500 Firmware, Carrier Lenels2 S2-Lp-4502 Firmware, Hidglobal Ep4502 Firmware, Hidglobal Lp1501 Firmware, Hidglobal Lp1502 Firmware, Hidglobal Lp2500 Firmware, Hidglobal Lp4502 Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-31479?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-31479 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-31479 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-31479 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in HID Mercury EP4502

- [CVE-2022-31481](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31481/): Remote Code Execution via buffer overflow in firmware update process (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2022-31483](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31483/): Arbitrary file write via authenticated OSDP file upload (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2022-31486](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31486/): Command injection via Advanced Networking route add functionality (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-31480](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31480/): Unauthenticated Firmware Upload and Arbitrary Reboot (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2022-31482](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31482/): Denial-of-Service via internal structure overflow (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-31479 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-31479 is a critical command injection vulnerability in HID Mercury EP4502, published on 6 Jun 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-31479 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: HID Mercury EP4502. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31479/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31479/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-31479
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-31479
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-31479

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31479/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.