CVE-2019-19723: Improper Authorization in passport-cognito

Background

passport-cognito is an npm package that provides integration with Amazon Cognito for authentication in Node.js applications. It allows users to authenticate with their Amazon Cognito user pools and obtain access tokens, refresh tokens, and ID tokens. These tokens are used for authorization and access control within the application.

Vulnerability Detail

The vulnerability in passport-cognito arises from improper authorization handling. The package fails to properly scope the variables containing authorization information, such as access token, refresh token, and ID token. This flaw leads to a race condition where simultaneous authenticated users may receive authorization tokens intended for a different user. Exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker can impersonate another user and perform actions on their behalf, potentially leading to unauthorized access and data manipulation.

Workaround

As there is no fix available, one possible workaround is to manually implement proper authorization handling in your application instead of relying on passport-cognito. This involves scoping the authorization variables correctly and ensuring that each user receives their own unique tokens. Here is an example of how this can be done in Node.js:

// Manually handle authorization
function handleAuthorization(req, res) {
  // Get the access token, refresh token, and ID token from the request
  const accessToken = req.headers['authorization'];
  const refreshToken = req.headers['refresh-token'];
  const idToken = req.headers['id-token'];

  // Verify the tokens and ensure they belong to the authenticated user
  // Implement your own verification logic here

  // Proceed with the authorized action
  // Implement your authorized action logic here
}

Conclusion

In conclusion, passport-cognito is vulnerable to an improper authorization issue that can lead to unauthorized access and data manipulation. Currently, no fix is available for this vulnerability. It is recommended to consider using an alternative package or manually implementing proper authorization handling in your application. For further support on vulnerability remediation, you can reach out to DevNack.com.

See every vulnerability recorded for passport-cognito →

FAQ