CVE-2018-17605 in Asset Pipeline Plugin
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in the Asset Pipeline plugin before 3.0.4 for Grails. An attacker can perform directory traversal via a crafted request when a servlet-based application is executed in Jetty, because there is a classloader vulnerability that can allow a reverse file traversal route in AssetPipelineFilter.groovy or AssetPipelineFilterCore.groovy.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/19/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-17605 affects the Asset Pipeline plugin for Grails versions prior to 3.0.4, presenting a critical directory traversal risk within servlet-based applications running on Jetty servers. This security flaw stems from a classloader vulnerability that enables attackers to manipulate file access patterns through carefully crafted HTTP requests, potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive system files and directories. The issue specifically manifests in the AssetPipelineFilter.groovy and AssetPipelineFilterCore.groovy files where improper input validation permits malicious actors to traverse the file system hierarchy beyond intended boundaries.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on the plugin's insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input within the asset pipeline processing logic. When a servlet-based Grails application operates in a Jetty environment, the vulnerable classloader implementation fails to properly validate file paths, enabling attackers to construct malicious requests that bypass normal file access controls. This allows for reverse file traversal attacks where attackers can navigate upward through directory structures using sequences like "../" to access files outside the designated web application root directory. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the classloader level, potentially enabling attackers to access not just static assets but also configuration files, source code, and other sensitive resources that should remain protected.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it can enable more sophisticated attack vectors including arbitrary code execution, privilege escalation, and complete system compromise. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can potentially access database configuration files containing credentials, application source code revealing implementation details, and system configuration files that may contain sensitive information. The attack surface is further expanded when considering that many Grails applications store sensitive data within their directory structures, and the vulnerability affects the core asset processing functionality that is typically active in production environments. This makes the vulnerability particularly attractive to threat actors seeking persistent access to target systems.
Organizations should immediately upgrade to Asset Pipeline plugin version 3.0.4 or later to remediate this vulnerability, as no effective workarounds exist for the underlying classloader issue. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive security scanning of all Grails applications using the affected plugin, implementation of web application firewalls to monitor and filter suspicious file path requests, and thorough review of application directory permissions to minimize potential damage from successful exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-22 Directory Traversal and represents a significant concern in the context of the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and defense evasion techniques, as it provides attackers with legitimate application pathways to access system resources that should remain protected. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime application self-protection measures and monitoring for unusual file access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts against this and similar vulnerabilities.