CVE-2022-27593
CVE-2022-27593 is a security flaw in QNAP Photo Station, a network drive for storing files and backups at home or in a small office. Attackers are using a flaw in QNAP Photo Station. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 8 Sep 2022, and says ransomware gangs have used it.[1]
QNAP Photo Station is in things households have: network drives for files and backups, so the fix matters at home as much as at work. Fixed in version 6.1.2, 6.0.22, 5.7.18 and 5.4.15 and others of Photo Station.
Description
CISA calls it an externally controlled reference in QNAP Photo Station. In its words: “Certain QNAP NAS running Photo Station with internet exposure contain an externally controlled reference to a resource vulnerability which can allow an attacker to modify system files. This vulnerability was observed being utilized in a Deadbolt ransomware campaign.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “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 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”[2]
The underlying weakness is CWE-610, in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 9.1 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it critical, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record lists these fixed versions: in each line, everything before the version shown is affected.[2]
| Product | Fixed in |
|---|---|
| Photo Station | 6.1.2 |
| Photo Station | 6.0.22 |
| Photo Station | 5.7.18 |
| Photo Station | 5.4.15 |
| Photo Station | 5.2.14 |
Every device with QNAP Photo Station needs the update.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 8 Sep 2022, within a day of it being made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 29 Sep 2022 to fix it.[1] CISA says ransomware gangs have used it.
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 88%. That’s in the top 1% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
QNAP has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Update QNAP Photo Station now.Install the latest update from QNAP on every device that has it, and restart when asked. Then turn on automatic updates, so the next fix arrives on its own.
- Check you’re on 6.1.2 or later.Fixed in version 6.1.2, 6.0.22, 5.7.18 and 5.4.15 and others of Photo Station. Anything older is what attackers are going after.
- If the maker has stopped updating it, replace it.Network drives stop getting fixes after a few years, and attackers keep a list of the ones that did. If there’s no newer firmware, it won’t be fixed.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 9.1.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks, noting that ransomware gangs have used it.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 88%.[4] |
See also
Other QNAP Photo Station flaws
- CVE-2019-7195: path traversal ·
- CVE-2019-7194: path traversal ·
- CVE-2019-7192: improper access control ·
Other QNAP flaws
- CVE-2023-47565, QNAP VioStor NVR: OS command injection ·
- CVE-2019-7193, QNAP QTS: improper input validation ·
- CVE-2018-19953, QNAP Network Attached Storage (NAS): NAS file station cross-site scripting ·
- CVE-2018-19949, QNAP Network Attached Storage (NAS): NAS file station command injection ·
- CVE-2018-19943, QNAP Network Attached Storage (NAS): NAS file station cross-site scripting ·
Similar flaws
- CVE-2022-30190, Microsoft Windows: support diagnostic tool (MSDT) remote code execution ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2022-3075, Chrome and other Chromium browsers: insufficient data validation ·
- CVE-2022-26258, D-Link DIR-820L: remote code execution ·
- CVE-2020-9934, Apple iOS, iPadOS, and macOS: input validation ·
- CVE-2018-7445, MikroTik RouterOS: stack-based buffer overflow ·
- CVE-2018-6530, D-Link Multiple Routers: OS command injection ·
Every QNAP flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in September 2022
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “QNAP Photo Station Externally Controlled Reference Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 8 Sep 2022.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2022-27593 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 8 Sep 2022.
- ^ QNAP. Advisories and fixes: qnap.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.879, percentile 99.8, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2022-27593”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.