CVE-2024-1163 in mapshaper
Summary
by MITRE • 02/13/2024
Uncontrolled Resource Consumption in GitHub repository mbloch/mapshaper prior to 0.6.44.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/18/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-1163 represents a critical resource consumption issue within the mbloch/mapshaper GitHub repository, affecting versions prior to 0.6.44. This repository serves as a JavaScript library for manipulating and converting geographic data formats, commonly used in mapping applications and geographic information systems. The flaw manifests as an uncontrolled resource consumption pattern that can be exploited by malicious actors to perform resource exhaustion attacks against systems utilizing this library. The vulnerability specifically impacts the library's handling of input data processing, where improper resource management allows attackers to consume excessive memory and CPU resources through carefully crafted inputs. This issue falls under the category of resource exhaustion attacks that can lead to denial of service conditions, making it particularly dangerous in production environments where system stability is paramount.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and resource management within the mapshaper library's data processing pipeline. When the library processes certain geographic data formats, particularly those containing malformed or excessively complex geometries, the internal resource allocation mechanisms fail to properly constrain memory usage and processing time. This allows an attacker to craft input files that trigger iterative processing loops or recursive data structures that consume disproportionate system resources. The flaw is classified as a resource exhaustion vulnerability that can be exploited through a simple input manipulation attack, making it accessible to threat actors with minimal technical expertise. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can affect any system that integrates the affected version of mapshaper into their geographic data processing workflows.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-1163 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially compromise entire geographic information systems and mapping applications. Systems utilizing vulnerable versions of mapshaper may experience complete service outages when subjected to resource exhaustion attacks, leading to significant operational disruptions for organizations relying on mapping services. The vulnerability affects various deployment scenarios including web applications, server-side processing systems, and desktop applications that depend on geographic data manipulation capabilities. Organizations running continuous processing pipelines for geographic data may face cascading failures that impact multiple dependent services. The attack surface is particularly broad as mapshaper is widely used across different industries including transportation, urban planning, environmental monitoring, and emergency response systems, making the potential impact of this vulnerability widespread and severe.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-1163 primarily focus on immediate version upgrades to mapshaper 0.6.44 or later, which includes proper resource management controls and input validation mechanisms. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all systems and applications that utilize vulnerable versions of the library, implementing immediate patching procedures across their infrastructure. Additional protective measures include implementing resource limits and monitoring for abnormal processing patterns, deploying input sanitization layers, and establishing rate limiting controls for geographic data processing operations. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which categorizes resource exhaustion issues, and represents a common pattern in software security that can be addressed through proper defensive programming practices. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting controls and network segmentation to limit the potential impact of exploitation attempts, while maintaining detailed logging and monitoring to detect suspicious resource consumption patterns. Regular security audits and dependency management reviews should be conducted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in other components of the geographic data processing stack.
This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper resource management in geographic data processing libraries and highlights the need for robust input validation in applications handling spatial data. The attack vector is particularly concerning due to its simplicity and the widespread adoption of mapshaper in various mapping applications, making it a prime target for exploitation by threat actors seeking to disrupt critical geographic information services. Organizations should prioritize the immediate remediation of this vulnerability while implementing broader security controls to protect against similar resource exhaustion attacks in their geographic information systems and mapping applications.