Node.js up to 20.11.0/21.6.1 Experimental Permission Model path traversal

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Node.js up to 20.11.0/21.6.1. It has been classified as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the component Experimental Permission Model. Performing a manipulation results in path traversal. This vulnerability was named CVE-2024-21896. The attack needs to be approached locally. There is no available exploit.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Node.js up to 20.11.0/21.6.1 (JavaScript Library). This affects an unknown code block of the component Experimental Permission Model. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a path traversal vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-22. The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

The permission model protects itself against path traversal attacks by calling path.resolve() on any paths given by the user. If the path is to be treated as a Buffer, the implementation uses Buffer.from() to obtain a Buffer from the result of path.resolve(). By monkey-patching Buffer internals, namely, Buffer.prototype.utf8Write, the application can modify the result of path.resolve(), which leads to a path traversal vulnerability. This vulnerability affects all users using the experimental permission model in Node.js 20 and Node.js 21. Please note that at the time this CVE was issued, the permission model is an experimental feature of Node.js.

The weakness was presented 02/20/2024. The advisory is shared at hackerone.com. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2024-21896 since 01/03/2024. It demands that the victim is doing some kind of user interaction. Neither technical details nor an exploit are publicly available. MITRE ATT&CK project uses the attack technique T1006 for this issue.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 216256 (Oracle Linux 8 : nodejs:20 (ELSA-2025-1351)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

There is no information about possible countermeasures known. It may be suggested to replace the affected object with an alternative product.

The vulnerability is also documented in the vulnerability database at Tenable (216256). If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Productinfo

Type

• JavaScript Library

Name

• Node.js

Version

• 20.0
• 20.1
• 20.2
• 20.3
• 20.4
• 20.5
• 20.6
• 20.7
• 20.8
• 20.9
• 20.10
• 20.11.0
• 21.6.0
• 21.6.1

License

• open-source

CPE 2.3info

• 🔍
• 🔍
• 🔍

CPE 2.2info

• 🔍
• 🔍
• 🔍

CVSSv4info

CVSSv3info

CVSSv2info

Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

Discussion