Arbitrary File Read Vulnerability in PhantomJS
Summary
CVE-2019-17221: PhantomJS through 2.1.1 has an arbitrary file read vulnerability, as demonstrated by an XMLHttpRequest for a file:// URI. Affects phantomjs versions < d9cda3dcd26b0e463533c5cc96e39c0f39fc32c1. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
PhantomJS is an open-source headless web browser that allows users to automate web page interaction, generate screenshots, and perform web scraping. It provides a JavaScript API for controlling various aspects of web browsing. However, PhantomJS versions up to 2.1.1 are vulnerable to an arbitrary file read vulnerability.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2019-17221, exists in the page.open() function of the webpage module in PhantomJS. This function is responsible for loading a specified URL and calling a given callback. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by supplying a specially crafted HTML file as user input. By leveraging this vulnerability, an attacker can read arbitrary files on the filesystem. For example, if the page.render() function is used as the callback, the attacker can generate a PDF or an image of the targeted file. This vulnerability poses a significant risk as it allows unauthorized access to sensitive files on the system.
How To Fix
No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.
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Workaround
As this vulnerability is inherent to the design of PhantomJS, there is no specific workaround available. The best course of action is to update to a newer, non-vulnerable version or switch to an alternative headless browser solution.
Conclusion
The arbitrary file read vulnerability in PhantomJS can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive files on the system. It is crucial to update to a non-vulnerable version or consider migrating to alternative headless browser solutions. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
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FAQ
PhantomJS is an open-source headless web browser that allows users to automate web page interaction, generate screenshots, and perform web scraping.
This vulnerability allows an attacker to read arbitrary files on the filesystem, potentially exposing sensitive information.
While updating to a non-vulnerable version of PhantomJS is recommended, it is important to note that PhantomJS is no longer actively developed. Consider migrating to alternative headless browser solutions.
As this vulnerability is inherent to the design of PhantomJS, there are no specific workarounds available. Updating to a non-vulnerable version or switching to an alternative headless browser solution is the best approach.
You can use Vulert's playground (https://vulert.com/scanner) to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability. Vulert monitors and alerts in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities without requiring access to the code or installation.
References
Related vulnerabilities
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