CVE-2015-1164 in serve-static Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
Open redirect vulnerability in the serve-static plugin before 1.7.2 for Node.js, when mounted at the root, allows remote attackers to redirect users to arbitrary web sites and conduct phishing attacks via a // (slash slash) followed by a domain in the PATH_INFO to the default URI.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/11/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1164 represents a critical open redirect flaw within the serve-static plugin for Node.js, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.7.2. This issue arises from improper validation of user-supplied input in the PATH_INFO parameter, creating a security gap that malicious actors can exploit to manipulate web application redirects. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous when the serve-static plugin is mounted at the root path of a web application, as it allows attackers to craft malicious URLs that will redirect users to arbitrary external domains without proper validation or user consent.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from how the serve-static middleware processes incoming requests when configured at the root level. When a request contains a PATH_INFO parameter beginning with double slashes followed by a domain name, the middleware fails to properly sanitize or validate this input before processing the redirect. This occurs because the plugin does not adequately distinguish between legitimate internal paths and potentially malicious external URLs that could be embedded within the request path. The flaw essentially allows an attacker to bypass normal redirect validation mechanisms by crafting URLs that appear to be internal paths but actually contain external domain references.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables sophisticated phishing attacks where users can be unknowingly redirected to malicious websites that closely mimic legitimate applications. Attackers can exploit this by crafting URLs that, when clicked, redirect victims to fraudulent login pages or sites designed to harvest credentials and sensitive information. The impact extends beyond simple redirection as it can be combined with social engineering tactics to create highly convincing phishing campaigns. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the middleware level, meaning it can affect numerous applications without requiring specific application-level modifications or configurations to be exploited.
The security implications of CVE-2015-1164 align with CWE-601 open redirect vulnerabilities and can be mapped to several ATT&CK techniques including T1566 phishing and T1071.004 application layer protocol. The vulnerability demonstrates how middleware components can create systemic security risks that affect entire application ecosystems, particularly when they handle user input without proper sanitization. Organizations using affected versions of serve-static should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to version 1.7.2 or later, implementing additional input validation at the application level, and monitoring for suspicious redirect patterns in web application logs. Network-level firewalls and web application firewalls can also be configured to detect and block known malicious redirect patterns, though the most effective solution remains the immediate patching of the vulnerable middleware component. The vulnerability highlights the importance of thorough input validation in web application security and the critical need for regular security updates to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.