CVE-2024-27307: Critical Flaw in Popular JSONata Library Could Lead to Code Execution
A critical vulnerability has been recently discovered in JSONata, a widely used JavaScript library for querying and transforming JSON data. This vulnerability, designated as CVE-2024-27307, poses a serious security risk and could allow attackers to remotely execute malicious code within applications that rely on the library.
The Vulnerability Explained
The vulnerability lies in the way JSONata handles certain expressions. Versions 1.4.0 and later of the library are susceptible to what’s known as a “prototype pollution” attack. If a user can provide a specially crafted JSONata expression, they could potentially overwrite properties on the Object constructor and its prototype. This manipulation could lead to consequences like denial-of-service attacks, the execution of arbitrary code, and other unpredictable system behavior.
Security researcher Albert Pedersen of Cloudflare has been credited with uncovering and reporting this security flaw.
Potential Impact
Any application that processes user-supplied JSONata expressions could be vulnerable. The impact of successful exploitation could vary, but the potential for code execution makes this a significant concern. The severity of the CVE-2024-27307 vulnerability is reflected by its “Critical” rating under the CVSSv3.1 scoring system.
Mitigations
Fortunately, the developers of JSONata have promptly addressed the issue. Fixed versions of the library (1.8.7 and 2.0.4 or later) are now available. All organizations and developers using JSONata should prioritize updating to a patched version as soon as possible. For those unable to update immediately, patches have been released to mitigate the vulnerability.
Protect Your Applications
Securing applications often requires staying a step ahead of potential exploits. Here are best practices for protecting your applications that use JSONata:
- Update Immediately: Implement the latest patches or updates for JSONata.
- Input Validation: Always sanitize and validate user-supplied data, including JSONata expressions.
- Least Privilege: Where possible, restrict the execution environment of applications handling untrusted input.
