CVE-2020-7716 in deeps Package
Summary
by MITRE
All versions of package deeps 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-2020-7716 affects the deeps package, a JavaScript library used for deep object manipulation and property setting operations. This issue represents a prototype pollution vulnerability that occurs within the set function of the package, allowing attackers to manipulate the prototype of objects and potentially introduce malicious properties into the Object prototype. The vulnerability exists across all versions of the deeps package, making it a widespread concern for developers who rely on this library for object property management and deep cloning operations.
Prototype pollution vulnerabilities arise when an application allows untrusted input to modify the prototype of objects, enabling attackers to inject malicious properties or methods into the Object prototype itself. The set function in the deeps package appears to improperly handle object property assignments, particularly when dealing with nested objects or when the input contains special property names that could affect prototype inheritance. This flaw allows attackers to pollute the prototype chain by injecting properties that persist across all objects derived from the same prototype, creating a persistent security risk that can affect the entire application's object model.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple property manipulation and can lead to serious security consequences including denial of service attacks, code execution, and bypass of security controls. When an attacker successfully exploits prototype pollution in the deeps package, they can potentially modify core object methods or properties, leading to unexpected behavior in applications that rely on standard object prototypes. This vulnerability can be particularly dangerous in applications that perform deep object operations or use object cloning, as the pollution can propagate through the application's object hierarchy and affect multiple components that depend on prototype-based inheritance.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-7716 should focus on immediate remediation through package updates or version pinning to prevent installation of vulnerable versions. Developers should implement input validation and sanitization mechanisms to ensure that object property names do not contain special characters or reserved words that could trigger prototype pollution. The use of secure coding practices such as avoiding direct property assignment to prototype objects and implementing proper object isolation techniques can help prevent exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime protections and monitoring for suspicious prototype modifications. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-471, which specifically addresses the issue of prototype pollution in programming languages, and may be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for script injection and T1546.008 for abuse of web shell or scripting languages, as exploitation often involves manipulating object prototypes through script-based attacks.