CVE-2020-7925 in MongoDB
Summary
by MITRE • 11/23/2020
Incorrect validation of user input in the role name parser may lead to use of uninitialized memory allowing an unauthenticated attacker to use a specially crafted request to cause a denial of service. This issue affects: MongoDB Inc. MongoDB Server v4.4 versions prior to 4.4.0-rc12; v4.2 versions prior to 4.2.9.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-7925 represents a critical flaw in MongoDB Server's role name parsing functionality that stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms. This issue specifically targets the server's handling of user-defined role names during authentication and authorization processes, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit uninitialized memory access patterns. The vulnerability exists within the core authentication framework where role names are parsed and validated, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered without any authentication requirements, allowing attackers to craft malicious requests that exploit the memory handling flaw.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insufficient validation of role name parameters within MongoDB's authentication subsystem. When processing user requests containing specially crafted role names, the server fails to properly initialize memory structures before utilizing them, leading to potential memory access violations. This uninitialized memory usage creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate the parsing logic through crafted input sequences that can cause the server process to crash or behave unpredictably. The flaw operates at the application layer and specifically affects MongoDB's internal role management and user permission handling mechanisms, as defined by CWE-457. The vulnerability's exploitation requires no authentication credentials, making it particularly concerning for systems where MongoDB instances are exposed to untrusted networks or public internet access.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-7925 manifests primarily as a denial of service condition that can effectively render MongoDB instances unavailable to legitimate users. Attackers can repeatedly submit malicious requests containing crafted role name parameters, causing the server to enter an unstable state where it may crash, restart automatically, or become unresponsive to legitimate queries. This disruption can result in significant business impact including data access interruptions, service degradation, and potential data loss scenarios if the server fails to recover properly. The vulnerability affects MongoDB Server versions 4.4.0-rc11 and earlier, as well as 4.2.8 and earlier, making it a widespread concern across multiple release branches. Organizations running these vulnerable versions face substantial risk of service disruption, particularly in environments where MongoDB serves as a critical data store for applications requiring high availability.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected MongoDB Server installations to versions 4.4.0-rc12 or later, and 4.2.9 or later respectively. System administrators should prioritize updating their MongoDB deployments to address the uninitialized memory access issue. Network-level protections can include implementing firewall rules to restrict access to MongoDB ports, particularly in environments where the database is exposed to untrusted networks. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unusual patterns in authentication requests that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks, and organizations should also review their incident response procedures to ensure rapid detection and remediation of such service disruption events. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify any other potentially affected components within the MongoDB ecosystem that might present similar memory handling vulnerabilities.