CVE-2017-20165 in debug
Summary
by MITRE • 01/09/2023
A vulnerability classified as problematic has been found in debug-js debug up to 3.0.x. This affects the function useColors of the file src/node.js. The manipulation of the argument str leads to inefficient regular expression complexity. Upgrading to version 3.1.0 is able to address this issue. The name of the patch is c38a0166c266a679c8de012d4eaccec3f944e685. It is recommended to upgrade the affected component. The identifier VDB-217665 was assigned to this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/30/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-20165 resides within the debug-js library, specifically in the useColors function located in the src/node.js file. This issue represents a classic example of a regular expression denial of service vulnerability, where the manipulation of input arguments can lead to catastrophic backtracking behavior. The flaw manifests when the str argument is processed through inefficient regular expressions that exhibit exponential time complexity under certain conditions. This vulnerability falls under the CWE-400 category of "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" and specifically aligns with CWE-1321 "Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity" as it demonstrates how poorly constructed regular expressions can become computational bottlenecks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when malicious input is passed to the useColors function, causing the regular expression engine to perform an excessive number of operations that scale exponentially with input size. This creates a scenario where an attacker can craft input strings that cause the application to consume excessive CPU resources, leading to potential denial of service conditions. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects a widely-used debugging library that many applications depend upon for logging and debugging purposes, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to disrupt service availability.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability can have significant impact on systems that rely on debug-js for their logging infrastructure. When exploited, it can cause applications to become unresponsive or consume excessive computational resources, effectively creating a denial of service condition that impacts service availability and user experience. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that debug-js is commonly used across various node.js applications, meaning a single vulnerable component can affect multiple applications within an organization's infrastructure. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 "Utilities" where adversaries may use resource exhaustion techniques to disrupt services.
The remediation for this vulnerability is straightforward and involves upgrading to version 3.1.0 or later of the debug-js library, which incorporates the patch identified by the commit hash c38a0166c266a679c8de012d4eaccec3f944e685. This upgrade addresses the inefficient regular expression patterns by implementing more optimized pattern matching algorithms that prevent catastrophic backtracking scenarios. Organizations should prioritize this upgrade as part of their regular security maintenance procedures, particularly given the widespread adoption of the debug-js library. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and sanitization at application boundaries can provide additional defense-in-depth measures against similar vulnerabilities in other components of the system architecture.