CVE-2016-10532 in console-io
Summary
by MITRE
console-io is a module that allows users to implement a web console in their application. A malicious user could bypass the authentication and execute any command that the user who is running the console-io application 2.2.13 and earlier is able to run. This means that if console-io was running from root, the attacker would have full access to the system. This vulnerability exists because the console-io application does not configure socket.io to require authentication, which allows a malicious user to connect via a websocket to send commands and receive the response.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10532 affects the console-io module version 2.2.13 and earlier, presenting a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of web console implementations. This module is designed to provide developers with a mechanism to embed interactive console functionality within their applications, enabling remote command execution capabilities through web interfaces. The vulnerability stems from inadequate authentication mechanisms within the socket.io implementation, creating an exploitable pathway that allows unauthorized users to gain access to the underlying system's command execution capabilities.
The technical flaw resides in the improper configuration of socket.io authentication requirements within the console-io application. When the module fails to enforce proper authentication mechanisms, it creates a websocket connection point that remains accessible to any malicious actor who can establish a connection to the application's socket endpoint. This misconfiguration allows attackers to bypass standard authentication procedures and directly interface with the console-io websocket service, thereby enabling them to submit arbitrary commands through the established connection. The vulnerability manifests as a lack of session validation and user authentication checks that should normally precede command execution within the console interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple privilege escalation, representing a complete compromise of system security when the console-io application runs with elevated privileges. When the module executes under root or administrative privileges, the attacker gains unrestricted access to the entire system, including the ability to read, modify, or delete any file, execute any command, and potentially escalate their access further through privilege escalation techniques. This represents a severe authorization bypass vulnerability that effectively transforms any remote connection attempt into a full system compromise, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where such modules might be deployed with high-privilege accounts.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-287, which addresses improper authentication issues in software systems, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1059, which involves executing commands through various interfaces. The attack vector specifically leverages websocket communication channels to bypass traditional authentication mechanisms, making it particularly challenging to detect through standard network monitoring approaches that may not inspect websocket traffic for authentication validation. Organizations implementing console-io modules should consider this vulnerability as a critical risk requiring immediate remediation, particularly when these modules are deployed in environments where they might run with elevated privileges or in production systems with sensitive data access.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper authentication controls within the socket.io configuration, ensuring that all websocket connections require valid user credentials before allowing command execution. The recommended approach involves configuring socket.io to enforce authentication through token validation, session management, or other secure authentication mechanisms that prevent unauthorized access to the console functionality. Additionally, administrators should ensure that console-io applications do not run with elevated privileges unless absolutely necessary, and should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of these interfaces to untrusted networks or users. Regular security audits should verify that authentication mechanisms remain properly configured and that no unauthorized access paths exist within the application's websocket implementation.