CVE-2019-5444: Serve here.js Path Traversal Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-4448-rc82-fcr7
Share
CVSS 5.3
CWE-22
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2019-5444 is a MODERATE (CVSS 5.3) path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')) affecting Serve here.js libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves path traversal in serve-here.js. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.2.0.

CVE-2019-5444 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2019-5444
GHSA Identifier GHSA-4448-rc82-fcr7
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 5.3
CWE Classification CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
Affected Product Serve here.js
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 5.3

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality Low (C:L)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2019-5444

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Serve here.js dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

serve-here.js fixed: 1.2.0 
npm install serve-here.js@1.2.0
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

npm ls serve-here.js

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Node.js application is affected by CVE-2019-5444, inspect your project dependencies using npm:

npm ls serve-here.js

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Serve here.js in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 1.2.0), your application is affected.

Note: The npm ls serve-here.js command inspects dependencies declared in your package.json and lockfile; it does not perform automated runtime dynamic scanning.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal'), where the product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory. In Serve here.js, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

Versions of serve-here.js prior to 1.2.0 are vulnerable to path traversal. The package fails to sanitize URLs, allowing attackers to access server files outside of the served folder using relative paths.

CVE-2019-5444 Affected Serve here.js Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.2.0
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
serve-here.js
npm/serve-here.js
npm
< 1.2.0
1.2.0

References

NVD — CVE-2019-5444 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-5444
hackerone.com/reports/569966 WEB
https://hackerone.com/reports/569966
Serve here.js Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/ChristoPy/serve-here.js
www.npmjs.com/advisories/1019 WEB
https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/1019

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2019-5444?
CVE-2019-5444 is a security vulnerability in Serve here.js involving Path Traversal in serve-here.js under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal').
Which Serve here.js versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.2.0 across affected packages: serve-here.js.
What version fixes CVE-2019-5444?
Upgrading to 1.2.0 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is serve-here.js affected?
Yes, serve-here.js is affected in releases prior to 1.2.0. Upgrade your dependency to 1.2.0 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2019-5444?
CVE-2019-5444 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.3 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2019-5444?
CVE-2019-5444 is classified under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') (The product uses external input to construct a pathname that is intended to identify a file or directory that is located underneath a restricted parent directory, but the product does not properly neutralize special elements within the pathname that can cause the pathname to resolve to a location that is outside of the restricted directory.).
How can I check npm dependencies for CVE-2019-5444?
Run the dependency tree command: 'npm ls serve-here.js'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-4448-rc82-fcr7",
  "modified" : "2022-12-03T04:01:44Z",
  "published" : "2021-09-22T18:40:57Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2019-5444" ],
  "summary" : "Path Traversal in serve-here.js",
  "details" : "Versions of serve-here.js prior to 1.2.0 are vulnerable to path traversal. The package fails to sanitize URLs, allowing attackers to access server files outside of the served folder using relative paths.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "serve-here.js"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.2.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-5444"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://hackerone.com/reports/569966"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/ChristoPy/serve-here.js"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/1019"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-22" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2021-09-22T18:40:39Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2019-07-10T20:15:00Z"
  }
}