CVE-2020-15779: Socket.io file Path Traversal Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-9h4g-27m8-qjrg
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CVSS 7.5
CWE-22
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2020-15779 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) path traversal vulnerability (CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')) affecting Socket.io file libraries in the npm ecosystem. The issue involves path traversal in socket.io-file. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2020-15779 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2020-15779
GHSA Identifier GHSA-9h4g-27m8-qjrg
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
Affected Product Socket.io file
Package Ecosystem npm
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.5

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/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 None (C:N)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2020-15779

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

socket.io-file fixed: Latest secure release 
npm install socket.io-file@Latest secure release
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 socket.io-file

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Node.js application is affected by CVE-2020-15779, inspect your project dependencies using npm:

npm ls socket.io-file

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Socket.io file in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The npm ls socket.io-file 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 Socket.io file, 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

All versions of `socket.io-file` are vulnerable to Path Traversal. The package fails to sanitize user input and uses it to generate the file upload paths. The `socket.io-file::createFile` message contains a `name` option that is passed directly to `path.join()`. It is possible to upload files to arbitrary folders on the server by sending relative paths on the `name` value, such as `../../test.js`. The `uploadDir` and `rename` options can be used to define the file upload path.

CVE-2020-15779 Affected Socket.io file Versions

1 component(s)
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
socket.io-file
npm/socket.io-file
npm
≤ 2.0.31

References

NVD — CVE-2020-15779 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-15779
GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-9h4g-27m8-qjrg
Socket.io file Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/rico345100/socket.io-file
www.npmjs.com/advisories/1519 WEB
https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/1519
www.npmjs.com/package/socket.io-f... WEB
https://www.npmjs.com/package/socket.io-file

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-15779?
CVE-2020-15779 is a security vulnerability in Socket.io file involving Path Traversal in socket.io-file under CWE-22: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal').
Which Socket.io file versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches across affected packages: socket.io-file.
What version fixes CVE-2020-15779?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is socket.io-file affected?
Yes, socket.io-file is affected in releases prior to Latest secure release. Upgrade your dependency to Latest secure release or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2020-15779?
CVE-2020-15779 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2020-15779?
CVE-2020-15779 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-2020-15779?
Run the dependency tree command: 'npm ls socket.io-file'. 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-9h4g-27m8-qjrg",
  "modified" : "2021-09-22T20:28:29Z",
  "published" : "2020-07-07T19:24:47Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2020-15779" ],
  "summary" : "Path Traversal in socket.io-file",
  "details" : "All versions of `socket.io-file` are vulnerable to Path Traversal. The package fails to sanitize user input and uses it to generate the file upload paths. The `socket.io-file::createFile` message contains a `name` option that is passed directly to `path.join()`.   It is possible to upload files to arbitrary folders on the server by sending relative paths on the `name` value, such as `../../test.js`.  The `uploadDir` and `rename` options can be used to define the file upload path.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "npm",
      "name" : "socket.io-file"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "last_affected" : "2.0.31"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-15779"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-9h4g-27m8-qjrg"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/rico345100/socket.io-file"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.npmjs.com/advisories/1519"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.npmjs.com/package/socket.io-file"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-22" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2020-07-07T19:23:52Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}