CVE-2013-1892 in MongoDB
Summary
by MITRE
MongoDB before 2.0.9 and 2.2.x before 2.2.4 does not properly validate requests to the nativeHelper function in SpiderMonkey, which allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (invalid memory access and server crash) or execute arbitrary code via a crafted memory address in the first argument.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/27/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2013-1892 represents a critical security flaw in MongoDB database systems that affects versions prior to 2.0.9 and 2.2.4. This issue resides within the JavaScript engine integration of MongoDB's database operations, specifically in how the nativeHelper function processes requests within the SpiderMonkey JavaScript engine. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize or verify memory addresses provided in the first argument of the nativeHelper function calls.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a carefully crafted malicious request that manipulates memory addresses passed to the nativeHelper function. When MongoDB processes such malformed input, it fails to validate the memory address boundaries and permissions, leading to invalid memory access conditions. This improper validation creates a path for attackers to either crash the database server through controlled memory access violations or potentially execute arbitrary code by leveraging the JavaScript engine's native function capabilities.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to database security and availability. Remote authenticated users who can establish connections to the MongoDB instance can exploit this flaw to cause denial of service conditions that result in server crashes and service interruptions. Additionally, the potential for arbitrary code execution makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could allow attackers to gain unauthorized control over database servers, potentially leading to data breaches, privilege escalation, or further network compromise. The vulnerability affects both the 2.0.x and 2.2.x release lines, indicating it was present across multiple versions of the database software.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with CWE-125, which addresses out-of-bounds read conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write conditions. These classifications reflect the fundamental nature of the flaw where improper memory address validation leads to unauthorized memory access patterns. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability could be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for JavaScript, where adversaries leverage JavaScript engines to execute malicious code, and T1499.004 for network denial of service, where service availability is compromised through memory corruption attacks.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to MongoDB versions 2.0.9 or 2.2.4 and later, which contain the necessary patches to address the input validation deficiencies in the nativeHelper function. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit authentication access to database systems, reducing the attack surface for potential exploitation. Additionally, monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual patterns in database connection attempts or memory-related anomalies that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on malformed JavaScript requests targeting MongoDB instances. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation in database systems that integrate with JavaScript engines, particularly when dealing with native function calls that operate at memory level access permissions.