CVE-2024-23841 in apollo-client-nextjs
Summary
by MITRE • 01/30/2024
apollo-client-nextjs is the Apollo Client support for the Next.js App Router. The @apollo/experimental-apollo-client-nextjs NPM package is vulnerable to a cross-site scripting vulnerability. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need to either inject malicious input (e.g. by redirecting a user to a specifically-crafted link) or arrange to have malicious input be returned by a GraphQL server (e.g. by persisting it in a database). To fix this issue, please update to version 0.7.0 or later.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-23841 affects the @apollo/experimental-apollo-client-nextjs npm package, which provides Apollo Client integration for Next.js App Router applications. This package serves as a critical bridge between GraphQL data fetching operations and Next.js routing mechanisms, making it a potential attack vector for malicious actors targeting web applications built with this technology stack. The vulnerability manifests as a cross-site scripting flaw that could compromise user sessions and enable unauthorized data access or manipulation within affected applications.
The technical implementation flaw stems from inadequate input sanitization within the package's handling of GraphQL responses and user-provided data. When the package processes data returned from GraphQL servers, it fails to properly escape or validate content that may contain malicious script tags or other XSS payloads. This vulnerability can be exploited through two primary attack vectors: direct injection via crafted URLs that redirect users to malicious links containing XSS payloads, or indirect exploitation through persistent data stored in databases that gets returned as part of GraphQL responses. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that GraphQL APIs often return complex nested data structures that may contain user-generated content or external inputs that are not properly sanitized before being rendered in the Next.js application context.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script execution, as it can enable attackers to steal session cookies, perform unauthorized actions on behalf of users, or exfiltrate sensitive data from applications. When exploited in conjunction with other vulnerabilities or through social engineering campaigns, this XSS flaw could lead to complete application compromise and potential data breaches. The vulnerability affects developers who rely on the experimental package for Apollo Client integration with Next.js, creating a widespread risk across applications that have not yet updated to the patched version. Organizations using this package in production environments face increased risk of user data exposure and potential regulatory compliance violations.
Security practitioners should prioritize updating to version 0.7.0 or later to address this vulnerability, as the fix likely includes proper input sanitization and output encoding mechanisms that prevent malicious content from being executed in the browser context. The remediation process should include thorough testing of GraphQL response handling and user input processing to ensure no other XSS vulnerabilities exist within the application's data flow. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive input validation at multiple layers of their application architecture, including GraphQL resolvers, API gateways, and front-end rendering components. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting) and may map to ATT&CK techniques involving initial access through web application attacks and privilege escalation through session hijacking. Regular security scanning and dependency monitoring should be implemented to identify similar vulnerabilities in other third-party packages that may be susceptible to similar XSS attack patterns.