CVE-2020-9479 in AsterixDB
Summary
by MITRE • 03/02/2021
When loading a UDF, a specially crafted zip file could allow files to be placed outside of the UDF deployment directory. This issue affected Apache AsterixDB unreleased builds between commits 580b81aa5e8888b8e1b0620521a1c9680e54df73 and 28c0ee84f1387ab5d0659e9e822f4e3923ddc22d. Note: this CVE may be REJECTed as the issue did not affect any released versions of Apache AsterixDB
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-9479 represents a critical directory traversal flaw within Apache AsterixDB's Universal Data Format (UDF) processing mechanism. This security weakness stems from improper handling of archive extraction operations when processing specially crafted zip files, creating a path traversal condition that allows malicious actors to place files outside the designated deployment directory boundaries. The vulnerability specifically impacted unreleased development builds within a defined commit range, indicating that it was present in the codebase during the development cycle but never made it into any official release. The issue demonstrates a fundamental failure in input validation and file system access controls during archive processing operations, creating potential for unauthorized file placement and system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs during UDF loading operations when the system processes zip archives containing maliciously constructed file paths. The flaw enables attackers to manipulate the extraction process by including directory traversal sequences such as ../ or ..\ in the zip file entries, allowing them to write files to arbitrary locations on the system rather than being restricted to the intended UDF deployment directory. This behavior directly violates the principle of least privilege and demonstrates inadequate sandboxing of file operations within the application's execution environment. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-22, which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as path traversal or directory traversal attacks. From an operational perspective, this flaw represents a significant security risk as it could potentially allow attackers to overwrite critical system files, inject malicious code, or establish persistent access points within the target environment.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-9479 extends beyond simple file placement concerns, as it creates potential vectors for more sophisticated attacks within the Apache AsterixDB ecosystem. While the vulnerability was present in unreleased code versions, its existence demonstrates poor security practices in the development lifecycle, particularly regarding input validation and secure coding practices for archive processing components. The issue affects the integrity and confidentiality of the system by potentially allowing unauthorized file manipulation and could enable privilege escalation if the UDF processing occurs with elevated permissions. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1059.007 sub-technique for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" and broader path traversal attack patterns. Organizations using Apache AsterixDB should consider this vulnerability as part of their risk assessment, particularly if they are running development or testing environments that may have been exposed to such malicious zip files, as the vulnerability could potentially be exploited to gain unauthorized access to system resources or compromise data integrity.
This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of secure coding practices in database and data processing systems, particularly when handling user-provided or external data sources. The fact that the issue was present in unreleased code highlights the need for comprehensive security testing throughout the development lifecycle rather than relying solely on post-release validation. While the vulnerability may be rejected for official CVE status due to not affecting released versions, its presence in development code demonstrates the critical need for input validation, proper file system access controls, and secure archive processing mechanisms in enterprise data platforms. The flaw underscores the necessity of implementing robust security measures during the development phase to prevent such issues from reaching production environments, particularly in systems that process untrusted data from external sources.