CVE-2020-7698 in Gerapy
Summary
by MITRE
This affects the package Gerapy from 0 and before 0.9.3. The input being passed to Popen, via the project_configure endpoint, isn’t being sanitized.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2020
The vulnerability CVE-2020-7698 represents a critical security flaw in the Gerapy web application framework that allows for arbitrary command execution through improper input sanitization. This issue affects all versions of Gerapy prior to 0.9.3 and specifically targets the project_configure endpoint where user-provided input is directly passed to the Popen function without adequate validation or sanitization measures. The vulnerability stems from a fundamental lack of input validation that enables attackers to inject malicious commands that get executed within the context of the web application's operating system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of user input within the project_configure endpoint which serves as an interface for configuring project parameters. When users submit data through this endpoint, the application fails to sanitize or validate the input before passing it to the Popen function, which is a system call that executes operating system commands. This creates a classic command injection vulnerability where malicious payloads can be crafted to execute arbitrary commands on the server. The vulnerability maps directly to CWE-78, which specifically addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands, and represents a critical weakness in input validation and sanitization practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and potentially catastrophic for organizations using affected versions of Gerapy. Attackers can leverage this flaw to execute arbitrary commands on the server, potentially gaining full control over the system, accessing sensitive data, installing malware, or using the compromised system as a launchpad for further attacks within the network. The vulnerability affects the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system, as unauthorized users can manipulate the application's behavior and potentially disrupt services. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in cloud environments or shared hosting scenarios where the compromised application might be used to attack other systems or exfiltrate data from the network.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-7698 should prioritize immediate patching of the Gerapy application to version 0.9.3 or later where the input sanitization issue has been addressed. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures including input validation at multiple layers, implementing proper parameterization of system calls, and using privilege separation techniques to limit the impact of potential command injection attacks. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious command execution patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices and adheres to ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, highlighting the need for proper input sanitization and validation to prevent such execution-based attacks. Organizations should also conduct thorough security reviews of their application code to identify similar patterns that might lead to command injection vulnerabilities in other components of their software stack.