CVE-2020-28367 in Google
Summary
by MITRE • 11/18/2020
Go before 1.14.12 and 1.15.x before 1.15.5 allows Argument Injection.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/08/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-28367 represents a significant security flaw in the go programming language implementation that affects versions prior to 1.14.12 and 1.15.x prior to 1.15.5. This issue falls under the category of argument injection vulnerabilities which can be exploited to manipulate program execution through improper handling of command line arguments. The flaw specifically manifests in how the go runtime processes command line parameters, creating potential attack vectors that could be leveraged by malicious actors to execute unauthorized operations.
This vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the go runtime environment when processing command line arguments. The technical implementation flaw allows attackers to inject additional arguments or modify existing ones during program execution, potentially leading to unintended behavior or privilege escalation. The issue is particularly concerning because it affects the core runtime functionality of go applications, making it a critical concern for any system relying on go-based services or applications. The vulnerability can be categorized under CWE-77 as it involves injection flaws where untrusted data is passed to an interpreter as part of a command, and it aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-28367 extends beyond simple argument manipulation as it can enable attackers to bypass security controls, execute arbitrary code, or perform unauthorized operations within the affected environment. Applications built with vulnerable go versions may be susceptible to attacks where command line arguments are used to determine execution paths, access control decisions, or system interactions. This vulnerability can be particularly dangerous in containerized environments or cloud deployments where go applications often serve as critical components of infrastructure services. The potential for privilege escalation exists when applications running with elevated permissions process command line arguments without proper validation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected go runtime versions to the recommended secure releases. Organizations should prioritize updating their go installations to versions 1.14.12 or 1.15.5 and later, as these releases contain the necessary fixes to address the argument injection flaw. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and sanitization practices in application code can provide additional defense-in-depth measures. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running vulnerable go versions and ensure proper patch management procedures are in place. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patched environments to confirm that the vulnerability has been resolved without introducing regressions in application functionality.