CVE-2020-5251: Open Source Vulnerability in Bitnami Parse Server
Summary
CVE-2020-5251: Information disclosure in parse-server. Affects parse versions < 4.1.0. Fixed in 4.1.0. How to fix ↓
Also tracked for
- parse-server · npm
The same CVE-2020-5251 is tracked separately for each ecosystem and vendor. Its fix information is the same; the package and affected versions differ.
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Background
Bitnami Parse Server is an open-source backend-as-a-service (BaaS) platform that allows developers to build scalable and secure applications. It provides a complete infrastructure for managing user authentication, data storage, and push notifications. However, a vulnerability has been discovered in versions prior to 4.1.0 that allows an attacker to fetch all user objects by exploiting a regex injection in the NoSQL query. By using a regex on the sessionToken, an attacker can identify valid user accounts, potentially leading to unauthorized access and data breaches.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability (CVE-2020-5251) in Bitnami Parse Server arises from a lack of input validation in the NoSQL query. By crafting a malicious regex pattern and injecting it into the sessionToken parameter, an attacker can bypass the intended access controls and retrieve all user objects. This can have serious consequences, including unauthorized access to sensitive user data, privilege escalation, and potential compromise of the entire application. The vulnerability has a CVSSv3 score of 5.3 (Medium severity).
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
4.1.0
This is the first release that contains the fix.
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Workaround
If upgrading to the latest version is not immediately feasible, a temporary workaround is to disable the use of regex in the NoSQL queries. This can be achieved by modifying the code to use strict equality checks instead of regex matching for sessionToken validation. However, this workaround may impact certain functionality that relies on regex matching, so it should be considered a temporary solution until the upgrade can be performed.
Conclusion
The vulnerability in Bitnami Parse Server (CVE-2020-5251) allows an attacker to fetch all user objects by exploiting a regex injection in the NoSQL query. Upgrading to version 4.1.0 or later is recommended to fix this vulnerability. Developers should also ensure proper input validation and sanitization to prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future. For further assistance and support in vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
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FAQ
Bitnami Parse Server is an open-source backend-as-a-service platform that simplifies the development of scalable and secure applications. It provides features like user authentication, data storage, and push notifications.
The vulnerability allows an attacker to fetch all user objects by exploiting a regex injection in the NoSQL query. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive user data and potential compromise of the entire application.
To fix this vulnerability, it is recommended to upgrade to version 4.1.0 or later of Bitnami Parse Server. Additionally, ensure proper input validation and sanitization of user input before using it in NoSQL queries.
A temporary workaround is to disable the use of regex in the NoSQL queries by modifying the code to use strict equality checks instead. However, this may impact certain functionality that relies on regex matching.
Yes, the vulnerability has a CVSSv3 score of 5.3, indicating a medium severity.
References
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