CVE-2022-31553 in sleep-learner
Summary
by MITRE • 07/11/2022
The rainsoupah/sleep-learner repository through 2021-02-21 on GitHub allows absolute path traversal because the Flask send_file function is used unsafely.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/21/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-31553 resides within the rainsoupah/sleep-learner repository, a GitHub-hosted project that appears to be a web application built using the Flask framework. This repository, specifically versioned through February 2021, contains a critical security flaw that stems from improper handling of file operations within the Flask web application. The vulnerability manifests through the unsafe usage of the Flask send_file function, which is a core component for serving files to clients in web applications. When developers utilize send_file without proper input validation or sanitization, they create an opportunity for attackers to manipulate file paths and access resources beyond the intended directory structure.
The technical flaw represents a classic path traversal vulnerability that falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-22, which specifically addresses improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory. In this case, the Flask application fails to properly validate or sanitize user-provided input that gets incorporated into file path operations. The send_file function, when invoked with unsanitized parameters, allows an attacker to specify absolute paths or manipulate relative paths to traverse the file system hierarchy. This occurs because the application does not implement proper path validation mechanisms to ensure that file requests remain within the intended application directories.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows an attacker to potentially access sensitive files that should remain protected within the application's restricted file system. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to read configuration files, database credentials, application source code, or other sensitive data stored on the server. The consequences extend beyond simple information disclosure, as this vulnerability could enable further exploitation or privilege escalation within the system. The attacker could potentially access system files, application logs, or other resources that should not be accessible through the web interface, creating a serious security risk for any organization relying on this application.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve multiple layers of defense that align with established security best practices and frameworks. Organizations should immediately implement proper input validation and sanitization for all user-provided data that gets used in file operations. The Flask application should be updated to use secure file serving methods that explicitly validate file paths against a whitelist of allowed directories. Security controls should be implemented to ensure that file paths are normalized and that any attempts to traverse directories using sequences like "../" are properly rejected. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced by running the web application with minimal required permissions and by implementing proper directory structure controls. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices as outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1213 which covers data from information repositories, emphasizing the need for proper access controls and input validation in web applications.