CVE-2018-3758: express-cart unrestricted file upload vulnerability

Background

express-cart is an npm package that provides a shopping cart functionality for Express.js applications. It allows users to manage products, add them to a cart, and perform various e-commerce operations. However, a vulnerability has been discovered in versions prior to 1.1.7 that allows a privileged user to upload files without proper validation, leading to remote code execution (RCE) on the hosting machine.

Vulnerability Detail

The unrestricted file upload vulnerability in express-cart allows a privileged user to upload malicious files to the server. This can lead to various security risks, including remote code execution, unauthorized access to sensitive data, and potential compromise of the hosting machine. The vulnerability arises from a lack of proper file type validation and sanitization, allowing attackers to upload executable files or files with malicious content.

npm install express-cart@1.1.7

Workaround

If upgrading to the latest version is not immediately feasible, a temporary workaround is to disable file uploads or implement strict file type validation and sanitization. This can be done by modifying the code that handles file uploads and ensuring that only allowed file types are accepted. Here's an example of how to validate file types using the 'mime' package:

const mime = require('mime');

function validateFileType(file) {
  const allowedTypes = ['image/jpeg', 'image/png'];
  const fileType = mime.getType(file.path);
  if (!allowedTypes.includes(fileType)) {
    throw new Error('Invalid file type');
  }
}

Conclusion

The express-cart module prior to version 1.1.7 is vulnerable to an unrestricted file upload vulnerability, which can lead to remote code execution. It is crucial to upgrade to version 1.1.7 or later to fix this vulnerability. If immediate upgrade is not possible, implement strict file type validation and sanitization as a temporary workaround. For further support on vulnerability remediation, contact DevNack.com.

See every vulnerability recorded for express-cart →

FAQ