CVE-2020-7708 in irrelon-path
Summary
by MITRE
The package irrelon-path before 4.7.0; the package @irrelon/path before 4.7.0 are vulnerable to Prototype Pollution via the set, unSet, pushVal and pullVal functions.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/10/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-7708 affects JavaScript packages irrelon-path and @irrelon-path versions prior to 4.7.0, representing a critical prototype pollution flaw that can have far-reaching consequences in web applications. This vulnerability resides in the way these packages handle object property manipulation through their set, unSet, pushVal, and pullVal functions, which are commonly used for path manipulation and data structure operations within Node.js environments. The flaw allows attackers to manipulate the prototype of objects, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or denial of service conditions when these functions process untrusted input.
Prototype pollution vulnerabilities occur when an application fails to properly validate or sanitize input before using it to modify object prototypes. In this case, the affected functions in the irrelon-path packages do not adequately check user-supplied data before using it to set or manipulate properties on objects. This creates an opportunity for attackers to inject malicious properties into the Object.prototype, which can then be inherited by all objects in the application. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be exploited even when the input appears to be legitimate, as the prototype pollution can occur silently in the background. According to CWE-471, this represents a specific form of prototype pollution where the application's object prototypes are modified in unexpected ways, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential security breaches.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-7708 extends beyond simple data corruption, as prototype pollution can lead to more severe consequences including remote code execution, privilege escalation, and application instability. When these vulnerable functions process user input, attackers can manipulate the prototype chain to inject malicious properties that may be executed during subsequent object operations. The vulnerability affects applications that use these packages for path manipulation, configuration management, or data structure handling, making it particularly dangerous in environments where user input is processed. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to application functionality, manipulate application behavior, or cause denial of service through prototype chain manipulation. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique, where attackers can exploit the prototype pollution to gain elevated privileges within the application context.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-7708 require immediate patching of affected packages to version 4.7.0 or later, which includes proper input validation and sanitization for the vulnerable functions. Organizations should also implement comprehensive input validation at multiple layers of their applications, ensuring that all user-supplied data is properly sanitized before being processed by any path manipulation functions. Additional protective measures include implementing strict Content Security Policies, using security monitoring tools to detect unusual prototype modifications, and conducting regular security audits of third-party dependencies. The remediation process should involve updating package.json files to specify patched versions, running dependency security scans to identify other potentially vulnerable packages, and implementing runtime protections such as prototype validation checks. Organizations should also consider using dependency management tools that automatically alert on vulnerable package versions and maintain updated inventories of all third-party components to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in the future.