CVE-2019-19859 in Serpico
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in Serpico (aka SimplE RePort wrIting and CollaboratiOn tool) 1.3.0. The Add Collaborator allows unlimited data via the author parameter, even if the data does not match anything in the database.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/07/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-19859 resides within Serpico version 1.3.0, a collaborative reporting tool designed for security professionals to create and share vulnerability assessments. This particular flaw manifests in the Add Collaborator functionality where the author parameter accepts unlimited data input without proper validation or sanitization. The issue represents a classic input validation weakness that can be exploited to manipulate the application's behavior and potentially compromise its integrity. The vulnerability allows attackers to submit arbitrary data through the author field that may not conform to expected database structures or content types, creating an entry point for various malicious activities.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate parameter validation within the application's input handling mechanisms. When users attempt to add collaborators to reports, the system fails to enforce proper data type constraints or length limitations on the author parameter. This lack of input sanitization creates a pathway for attackers to inject malformed or excessive data that could potentially trigger unexpected application behavior. The vulnerability falls under CWE-20, which addresses improper input validation, and specifically relates to CWE-125, which deals with out-of-bounds read conditions. The absence of proper data validation allows the application to process potentially harmful input without proper checks, making it susceptible to data corruption or exploitation attempts.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data integrity concerns, as it could enable attackers to manipulate the collaborative reporting environment in ways that compromise security assessments. An attacker could potentially exploit this weakness to inject malicious data that might affect how reports are displayed or processed, potentially leading to information disclosure or denial of service conditions. The unlimited data acceptance capability means that even minimal exploitation attempts could cause significant disruption to the application's normal operations. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which involves legitimate credentials use, as attackers might leverage such input manipulation to gain unauthorized access to collaborative environments or to poison data within the reporting system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-19859 should focus on implementing robust input validation and sanitization measures within the Serpico application. The primary fix involves enforcing strict parameter validation on the author field to ensure that only properly formatted and appropriately sized data is accepted. This includes implementing length limits, data type checking, and sanitization routines to prevent malicious input from being processed. Organizations should also consider implementing rate limiting and monitoring for unusual input patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix should be implemented following secure coding practices that align with OWASP Top Ten recommendations for input validation and data sanitization. Additionally, regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in other components of the application. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation in collaborative environments where multiple users contribute to sensitive security documentation and assessments.