CVE-2020-7634 in heroku-addonpool
Summary
by MITRE
heroku-addonpool through 0.1.15 is vulnerable to Command Injection.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-7634 affects heroku-addonpool versions through 0.1.15 and represents a critical command injection flaw that can be exploited by malicious actors to execute arbitrary commands on affected systems. This vulnerability resides within the heroku-addonpool utility which is designed to manage add-on pools for heroku applications, making it a potential attack vector for compromising heroku environments and their underlying infrastructure. The flaw stems from improper input validation and sanitization within the command execution pathways of the utility, allowing attackers to inject malicious commands that will be executed with the privileges of the affected process. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous in cloud environments where add-on management tools often operate with elevated permissions and access to sensitive system resources. The command injection vulnerability creates a direct pathway for attackers to escalate privileges, access confidential data, and potentially compromise entire application stacks that rely on these management utilities. This issue demonstrates a classic security flaw where user-controllable input is directly incorporated into system commands without adequate sanitization or parameterization, creating an environment where malicious actors can manipulate the intended execution flow of the application.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the heroku-addonpool utility processing user inputs that are subsequently passed to system command execution functions without proper validation or escaping mechanisms. When the utility encounters inputs containing special command characters or sequences, these are interpreted by the underlying shell and executed as part of the command string rather than being treated as literal input data. This behavior aligns with CWE-77 which specifically addresses command injection vulnerabilities where untrusted data is incorporated into command strings without proper sanitization. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it affects a utility that operates within the heroku platform ecosystem, potentially allowing attackers to execute commands on heroku dynos or related infrastructure components. The vulnerability can be triggered through various input points within the addonpool management interface, including but not limited to pool names, configuration parameters, or other user-controllable fields that are subsequently used in system calls. This type of vulnerability is categorized under the broader ATT&CK technique T1059.001 which covers command and scripting interpreter, specifically targeting the execution of system commands through legitimate interfaces.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-7634 extends beyond simple command execution capabilities and represents a significant threat to heroku application security and infrastructure integrity. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive application data, modify or delete critical system files, and establish persistent access points within the heroku environment. The implications are particularly severe given that heroku applications often handle sensitive customer data and business-critical information, making the compromise of add-on management utilities a potentially devastating security incident. The vulnerability could enable attackers to escalate their privileges to system-level access, allowing them to manipulate the underlying infrastructure or extract confidential information from the platform. Organizations using heroku-addonpool in production environments face substantial risk of data breaches, service disruption, and compliance violations if this vulnerability remains unpatched. The impact is further amplified by the fact that such management tools often operate with elevated privileges and may have access to network resources, database connections, and other sensitive components that are not directly exposed to end users. This vulnerability type creates a persistent threat vector that can be exploited repeatedly until properly addressed through patching or other mitigations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-7634 must focus on immediate remediation through the deployment of version 0.1.16 or later which contains the necessary fixes to address the command injection vulnerability. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected versions of heroku-addonpool and ensure that all instances are updated promptly. The fix typically involves implementing proper input validation, parameterization of system commands, and the use of secure coding practices that prevent user-controllable data from being interpreted as command syntax. Additional defensive measures include implementing network segmentation to limit access to management utilities, monitoring system logs for suspicious command execution patterns, and establishing robust access controls for heroku environments. Security teams should also consider implementing automated patch management processes to ensure that similar vulnerabilities are identified and addressed in a timely manner. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patched versions to ensure that functionality is preserved while the vulnerability is eliminated. Organizations should also review their overall security posture and implement additional controls such as input sanitization libraries, secure coding training for developers, and regular security audits to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of their heroku applications and infrastructure.