CVE-2020-27543: Denial of Service (DoS) in restify-paginate

Background

The restify-paginate package is a Node.js module that provides pagination support for Restify-based web services. It allows developers to easily implement pagination functionality in their Restify applications. However, version 0.0.5 of the package is vulnerable to a Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack when the HTTP Host header is omitted. This vulnerability can be exploited remotely, causing the Restify-based web service to crash with an uncaught exception.

Vulnerability Detail

The vulnerability in restify-paginate (version 0.0.5) arises from a lack of proper input validation. When the HTTP Host header is not included in a request, the package fails to handle this scenario gracefully and crashes with an uncaught exception. This vulnerability can be exploited by an attacker to repeatedly send requests without the Host header, causing the targeted Restify-based web service to become unresponsive or crash. The impact of this vulnerability is a Denial-of-Service, preventing legitimate users from accessing the affected web service.

Workaround

If updating the package is not immediately feasible, a temporary workaround can be implemented by adding a custom middleware to the Restify application. This middleware should check for the presence of the Host header in incoming requests and handle the scenario appropriately. Here is an example of how the middleware can be implemented:

const restify = require('restify');

function customMiddleware(req, res, next) {
  if (!req.headers.host) {
    res.send(400, 'Bad Request');
  } else {
    next();
  }
}

const server = restify.createServer();
server.use(customMiddleware);

// Rest of the application code

Conclusion

In conclusion, the restify-paginate package (version 0.0.5) is vulnerable to a Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack when the HTTP Host header is omitted. This vulnerability can be exploited remotely, causing the Restify-based web service to crash. To mitigate this vulnerability, it is recommended to update the package to a version that includes a fix. Alternatively, a temporary workaround can be implemented by adding a custom middleware to handle requests without the Host header. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.

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