Cyber Resilience

CVE-2022-27593

Qnap Photo Station ≤ 5.2.14

CISA KEVActive ExploitationEUVD ExploitedRansomware-linked
Published
08 September 2022
Modified
03 November 2025
KEV Added
08 September 2022
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 10.0
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.88 99.7th percentile
Risk Priority 99 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2022-27593 is a critical-severity Externally Controlled Reference to a Resource in Another Sphere (CWE-610) vulnerability in Qnap Qts. Its CVSS base score is 10.0 (Critical).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Data from Local System (T1005); ranked in the top 0.3% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

CVE-2022-27593 is an externally controlled reference to a resource vulnerability, tracked under CWE-610, that affects QNAP NAS devices running Photo Station. The flaw permits unauthorized modification of system files and carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 10.0. QNAP has released fixes in Photo Station 6.1.2 and later for QTS 5.0.1, 6.0.22 and later for QTS 5.0.0/4.5.x, 5.7.18 and later for QTS 4.3.6, 5.4.15 and later for QTS 4.3.3, and 5.2.14 and later for QTS 4.2.6.

An unauthenticated attacker with network access can exploit the issue without user interaction to alter system files on the affected NAS. Successful exploitation can lead to integrity and availability impacts as well as limited confidentiality exposure under the CVSS scope change.

QNAP security advisory QSA-22-24 details the fixed Photo Station versions and urges immediate installation. The vulnerability also appears in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, confirming observed in-the-wild exploitation.

The associated EPSS score has reached 0.9378, indicating a high likelihood of exploitation attempts.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

An externally controlled reference to a resource vulnerability has been reported to affect QNAP NAS running Photo Station. If exploited, This could allow an attacker to modify system files. We have already fixed the vulnerability in the following versions: QTS…

more

5.0.1: Photo Station 6.1.2 and later QTS 5.0.0/4.5.x: Photo Station 6.0.22 and later QTS 4.3.6: Photo Station 5.7.18 and later QTS 4.3.3: Photo Station 5.4.15 and later QTS 4.2.6: Photo Station 5.2.14 and later

CWE(s)
KEV Date Added
08 September 2022

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1005 Data from Local System Collection
Adversaries may search local system sources, such as file systems, configuration files, local databases, virtual machine files, or process memory, to find files of interest and sensitive data prior to Exfiltration.
T1083 File and Directory Discovery Discovery
Adversaries may enumerate files and directories or may search in specific locations of a host or network share for certain information within a file system.
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
T1552 Unsecured Credentials Credential Access
Adversaries may search compromised systems to find and obtain insecurely stored credentials.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2019-7194Same product: Qnap Photo Stationboth on KEV
CVE-2019-7195Same product: Qnap Photo Stationboth on KEV
CVE-2019-7192Same product: Qnap Photo Stationboth on KEV
CVE-2018-19953Same product: Qnap Qtsboth on KEV
CVE-2018-19943Same product: Qnap Qtsboth on KEV
CVE-2019-7193Same product: Qnap Qtsboth on KEV
CVE-2018-19949Same product: Qnap Qtsboth on KEV
CVE-2020-2509Same product: Qnap Qtsboth on KEV
CVE-2021-28799Same product: Qnap Qtsboth on KEV
CVE-2023-47221Same product: Qnap Photo Station

Affected Assets

qnap
photo station
≤ 5.2.14 · ≤ 5.4.15 · ≤ 5.7.18

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 3 hardening rules · 2 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

addresses: CWE-610

Limits impact of an externally controlled reference to a primary information resource by switching to an identified alternative.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure development practices directly require input validation and reference sanitization that prevent externally-controlled resource references.

DE.CM-09 partial match
prevents

Runtime monitoring of software and data flows can detect anomalous external resource accesses that result from this weakness.

PR.IR-01 partial match
prevents

Network segmentation and access controls limit the blast radius when an external reference escapes its intended sphere.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

finds

Security testing can detect instances of the weakness but does not prevent it at design or coding time.

prevents

Secure development lifecycle mandates validation of all external references to prevent uncontrolled resource access.

prevents

Application security requirements explicitly call for controls against externally supplied resource identifiers.

prevents

Secure architecture principles reduce the attack surface for externally controlled references but do not prescribe specific validation rules.

prevents

Secure coding standards require input validation and canonicalization to block externally controlled resource references.

mitigates

Information access restriction limits what resources can be reached, indirectly reducing impact of external references.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (1 rule)
  • V-248577 OL 8 must enable kernel parameters to enforce Discretionary Access Control (DAC) on symlinks. prevents CWE-610

References