CVE-2024-23641 in SvelteKit
Summary
by MITRE • 01/24/2024
SvelteKit is a web development kit. In SvelteKit 2, sending a GET request with a body eg `{}` to a built and previewed/hosted sveltekit app throws `Request with GET/HEAD method cannot have body.` and crashes the preview/hosting. After this happens, one must manually restart the app. `TRACE` requests will also cause the app to crash. Prerendered pages and SvelteKit 1 apps are not affected. `@sveltejs/adapter-node` versions 2.1.2, 3.0.3, and 4.0.1 and `@sveltejs/kit` version 2.4.3 contain a patch for this issue.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/24/2024
CVE-2024-23641 represents a critical server-side vulnerability affecting SvelteKit 2 applications that arises from improper handling of HTTP method validation during request processing. This vulnerability stems from the framework's failure to correctly validate request methods when processing incoming HTTP requests, specifically when GET requests contain request bodies or when TRACE requests are received. The flaw manifests as a runtime exception that terminates the application process, requiring manual intervention for recovery. This represents a denial of service condition that directly impacts application availability and can be exploited by attackers to disrupt service operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the request processing pipeline of SvelteKit 2 applications, where the framework does not properly enforce HTTP protocol compliance for method-specific request handling. When a GET request containing a body is received, or when a TRACE request is processed, the application throws an exception stating "Request with GET/HEAD method cannot have body" which causes the Node.js process to crash. This behavior is particularly concerning because it demonstrates a lack of proper error handling and graceful degradation mechanisms within the framework's HTTP request processing layer. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200 as an improper error handling scenario and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-23641 extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass potential business continuity issues and increased operational overhead for system administrators. Applications running in preview or production environments using affected versions of SvelteKit 2 become vulnerable to unauthenticated denial of service attacks that can be executed through simple HTTP requests. The requirement for manual application restarts creates additional operational burden and increases mean time to recovery, particularly in environments where automated monitoring and recovery systems are not properly configured. This vulnerability affects only SvelteKit 2 applications using specific adapter versions and does not impact prerendered pages or legacy SvelteKit 1 implementations, indicating a regression in the framework's HTTP processing validation logic.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-23641 involve immediate patching of affected components to version 2.4.3 of @sveltejs/kit and corresponding adapter versions 2.1.2, 3.0.3, and 4.0.1. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring solutions to detect and alert on unusual request patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can be configured to filter out TRACE requests and malformed GET requests with bodies, providing additional defense-in-depth measures. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of all SvelteKit 2 applications in their environment to identify and remediate similar issues. The patch addresses the root cause by implementing proper HTTP method validation and error handling, ensuring that malformed requests are gracefully rejected rather than causing application crashes. This vulnerability highlights the importance of proper HTTP protocol compliance in web application frameworks and demonstrates how seemingly minor implementation flaws can result in significant operational impacts.