In today's extensive deep dive, we're going to explore a newly discovered vulnerability in the widely used sqlite3 package versions prior to 5..3 that poses a risk of Denial of Service (DoS) to applications. Identified as CVE-2022-21227, this vulnerability is no joke when it comes to taking down your app, so let's break it down to understand what's causing it and how to patch it up.

Exploit Details

The root of the problem lies in the way sqlite3 handled invalid Function objects. Specifically, when the toString function is applied to a passed parameter, if that parameter happens to be an invalid Function object, an exception will be thrown, ultimately leading to the crash of the V8 engine that powers your Node.js application.

Here's an example code snippet showcasing the vulnerability

const sqlite3 = require('sqlite3').verbose();
const db = new sqlite3.Database(':memory:');

let invalidFunction = new Function("throw new Error('Invalid Function')");
let vulnerableParam = invalidFunction.toString();

db.all(SELECT * FROM some_table WHERE value='${vulnerableParam}';, function(err, rows) {
    if (err) {
        console.error("Exploit failed:", err);
    } else {
        console.log("Exploit succeeded, retrieved data:", rows);
    }
});

In this snippet, we've created an invalidFunction containing a deliberately injected error and then converted it to a string using the toString() method. This vulnerable string is now passed as a parameter in an SQL query. If the sqlite3 package version is below 5..3, this query will crash the V8 engine, effectively causing a Denial of Service.

You don't want any bad actor having the power to take down your app with such a simple exploit, so it's essential to protect your code.

Identifying the Vulnerability Source and Patching Recommendations

The vulnerability was initially spotted and reported by the diligent Open Source community, leading to an alert being issued and the patch being introduced in version 5..3.

The official sqlite3 GitHub page contains all the necessary details, changelog information, and patches for this issue:

- Changelog: https://github.com/mapbox/node-sqlite3/blob/master/CHANGELOG.md
- Issue: https://github.com/mapbox/node-sqlite3/issues/1602
- Patch: https://github.com/mapbox/node-sqlite3/pull/1603

To stay safe from the CVE-2022-21227 exploit, it's advised to upgrade your sqlite3 package to version 5..3 or higher, as this will provide you with the necessary protection against Denial of Service attacks caused by this vulnerability. To do so, simply run the following command in your terminal or command prompt:

npm install sqlite3@latest

This will update your sqlite3 package and mitigate the risk from this vulnerability.

Wrapping Up

Denial of Service attacks can be a real pain to deal with, affecting both your application's accessibility and your users' experience. By staying informed on vulnerabilities such as CVE-2022-21227 and promptly addressing them, you can ensure your Node.js application remains protected against potential attacks.

Remember, the best defense against exploits is staying informed and taking swift action to patch vulnerabilities as they are discovered. Always keep tabs on your dependencies and package updates for a proactive approach to software security.

Timeline

Published on: 05/01/2022 16:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 05/11/2022 14:10:00 UTC