CVE-2020-7714 in confucious Package
Summary
by MITRE
All versions of package confucious are vulnerable to Prototype Pollution via the set function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/12/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-7714 affects the confucious package, which is a JavaScript library designed for configuration management and object manipulation. This particular flaw represents a prototype pollution vulnerability that exists within the package's set function implementation, allowing attackers to manipulate the prototype of objects in unexpected ways. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the library's core functionality, creating a pathway for malicious actors to inject properties into object prototypes that can subsequently affect the behavior of the entire application.
Prototype pollution occurs when an application fails to properly validate or sanitize user input that is used to set properties on objects, particularly when the input contains special characters or sequences that can modify the prototype chain. In the case of CVE-2020-7714, the set function within the confucious package does not adequately protect against malicious input that could alter the Object.prototype or other core object prototypes. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-471 as "Modification of Assumed-Immutable Data" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript,' as it enables attackers to manipulate the runtime behavior of JavaScript applications through prototype manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it can lead to various downstream security issues including arbitrary code execution, denial of service conditions, and data manipulation attacks. When an attacker successfully exploits this prototype pollution vulnerability, they can inject malicious properties into the global prototype objects, which will then be inherited by all subsequent objects created in the application. This can result in unexpected behavior where legitimate application code may be affected by the injected properties, potentially leading to privilege escalation, information disclosure, or complete system compromise depending on the application's architecture and security controls in place.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-7714 should focus on immediate remediation through package updates to versions that address the prototype pollution issue. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances where the affected package is being used within their applications and infrastructure. Security teams should implement input validation controls at multiple layers, including application-level sanitization of user inputs and the use of secure coding practices that prevent direct manipulation of object prototypes. Additionally, runtime protections such as prototype lockdown mechanisms and regular security monitoring can help detect and prevent exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and the need for security-conscious development practices, particularly when handling dynamic object manipulation in JavaScript environments where prototype chains are frequently utilized.