CVE-2021-23343 is a medium-severity vulnerability that affects all versions of the path-parse package. This vulnerability allows Regular Expression Denial of Service (ReDoS) via the splitDeviceRe, splitTailRe, and splitPathRe regular expressions. ReDoS can be exploited due to its polynomial worst-case time complexity, potentially leading to significant resource consumption and denial of service.
The vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS score of 5.3, indicating a medium severity level. The attack vector is network-based with low complexity, meaning that attackers can exploit it without needing special privileges or user interaction. The impact on availability is rated as low, but organizations should not underestimate the risk.
Organizations should prioritize patching immediately to mitigate possible disruptions caused by this vulnerability. Notably, there are currently no publicly known exploits or proofs of concept, which may suggest that attackers have not yet fully leveraged this vulnerability.
This vulnerability underscores the need for proactive vulnerability management and timely application of security patches.
Vulnerability Details
The vulnerability is classified as a Regular Expression Denial of Service (ReDoS), which can be triggered by specific regular expressions in the affected package. The official description states: "All versions of package path-parse are vulnerable to Regular Expression Denial of Service (ReDoS) via splitDeviceRe, splitTailRe, and splitPathRe regular expressions. ReDoS exhibits polynomial worst-case time complexity."
The CVSS score of 5.3 indicates a medium severity level, which reflects the potential risk to organizations. The vulnerability remains unscored by NVD, but its impacts on availability are considered significant.
The affected product is path-parse, and it has been reported to be exploitable over the network with low complexity and no required privileges or user interaction.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the inefficient handling of regular expressions within the path-parse package. The specific expressions, splitDeviceRe, splitTailRe, and splitPathRe, can lead to a ReDoS attack, which exploits the time complexity of regular expression processing.
The attack vector is network-based, allowing remote attackers to send specially crafted inputs that can cause the vulnerable application to become unresponsive. The attack complexity is low, meaning that an attacker can successfully execute the attack without sophisticated techniques.
No privileges are required for exploitation, and there is no user interaction needed. The impacts on confidentiality and integrity are rated as none, while the availability impact is low, indicating that the service may be disrupted but not necessarily permanently.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Risk to organizations includes potential disruptions to services that rely on the path-parse package. Given the nature of ReDoS attacks, the impact can vary based on how the package is integrated into applications.
Organizations should assess the likelihood of being targeted, particularly if they operate in environments where the path-parse package is heavily utilized. The vulnerability's medium CVSS score suggests a moderate level of urgency for remediation.
Given the potential for denial of service, it is crucial to prioritize this vulnerability during patch cycles, especially if the application is publicly accessible.
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
All versions of the path-parse package prior to 1.0.7 are vulnerable to this ReDoS attack. Organizations utilizing versions earlier than this should take immediate action to upgrade.
Mitigation & Remediation
To remediate this vulnerability, organizations should update the path-parse package to version 1.0.7 or later.
In addition to updating the package, organizations may also consider implementing configuration hardening practices to minimize the attack surface.
Organizations should also consider conducting a thorough security assessment, including application security assessments to identify potential weaknesses in their systems.
Detection Guidance
Monitoring logs for unusual patterns that could indicate ReDoS attacks is essential. Key indicators include significant increases in response times and unusual patterns of requests targeting the path-parse functionalities.
Organizations should also establish behavioral baselines to detect anomalies that could suggest attempts to exploit this vulnerability.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The existence of CVE-2021-23343 highlights a significant pattern in the development and deployment of web applications using regular expressions. As application complexity increases, so does the potential for vulnerabilities. Organizations must prioritize secure coding practices to mitigate similar vulnerabilities.
Security teams should ensure that they are equipped with effective vulnerability management programs to address such issues promptly. Regular assessments and updates are key strategies to maintain a strong security posture.
For more insights on securing applications against this and other vulnerabilities, organizations can refer to resources on vulnerability management programs and penetration testing methodologies to strengthen their defenses.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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