CVE-2016-10682 in massif
Summary
by MITRE
massif is a Phantomjs fork massif downloads resources over HTTP, which leaves it vulnerable to MITM attacks. It may be possible to cause remote code execution (RCE) by swapping out the requested resources with an attacker controlled copy if the attacker is on the network or positioned in between the user and the remote server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/09/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-10682 affects massif, a fork of PhantomJS that is designed for web page analysis and testing. This tool operates by downloading web resources over HTTP connections, creating a fundamental security weakness that exposes users to man-in-the-middle attacks. The core issue lies in the absence of secure transport protocols and certificate validation mechanisms within the tool's resource retrieval process, making it susceptible to network-based attacks that can intercept and manipulate downloaded content. This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in the tool's architecture, particularly when used in environments where network traffic is not properly secured or monitored.
The technical flaw stems from massif's reliance on unencrypted HTTP connections for resource downloads, which violates established security best practices and standards such as those outlined in CWE-319 - Cleartext Transmission of Sensitive Information. When resources are requested over HTTP, attackers positioned within the network traffic flow can intercept these requests and substitute the legitimate resources with malicious alternatives. The vulnerability creates a pathway for remote code execution through resource substitution attacks, where attackers can replace legitimate JavaScript libraries, CSS files, or other web resources with malicious versions that execute arbitrary code when loaded by the tool. This threat model aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, as the malicious code would execute within the context of the PhantomJS engine that massif utilizes for page rendering and analysis.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data interception, as it can lead to complete system compromise when attackers successfully substitute resources with malicious payloads. The remote code execution capability means that an attacker could potentially gain full control over systems running massif, especially when the tool is used in automated testing environments or continuous integration pipelines where it might execute with elevated privileges. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in corporate environments where network traffic is not properly segmented or where attackers have access to internal network resources, as it can be leveraged to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within the network infrastructure. The attack vector requires minimal sophistication and can be automated, making it a significant threat to organizations that rely on massif for web analysis without proper network security controls in place.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-10682 should focus on implementing secure communication protocols and network security measures. Organizations should immediately transition from HTTP to HTTPS for all resource downloads, ensuring that certificate validation is properly implemented and enforced. Network security controls including intrusion detection systems, network segmentation, and traffic monitoring should be deployed to detect and prevent unauthorized access to the network. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network access controls and using tools that can validate resource integrity through cryptographic checksums or digital signatures. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following security standards such as those defined in NIST SP 800-53 and ISO/IEC 27001, which emphasize the need for secure communication channels and proper resource validation in software development and deployment environments. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in other tools and applications that may be susceptible to the same class of attacks.