Simple-git CVE-2022-25860: High Severity Vulnerability

Are you using simple-git in your Node.js projects? It's crucial to stay informed about potential security vulnerabilities. This article will discuss the high-severity vulnerability CVE-2022-25860 affecting versions 1.132.0 and 2.47.0 of the simple-git library.

What is simple-git?

Before diving into the vulnerability, let's clarify what simple-git is. Simple-git is a Node.js library that provides an easy-to-use interface for interacting with Git repositories. It simplifies common Git operations, allowing developers to perform tasks like cloning, pulling, pushing, and listing remote repositories within their Node.js applications. Due to its convenience, simple-git has become a popular choice for developers automating Git-related tasks.

Understanding CVE-2022-25860

CVE-2022-25860 is a Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability that affects simple-git versions before 3.16.0. This vulnerability stems from improper input sanitization in the clone(), pull(), push(), and listRemote() methods. An attacker could exploit this by injecting malicious code through these methods, potentially gaining control of the system where the application is running. The vulnerability is a result of an incomplete fix for CVE-2022-25912.

Vulnerable Libraries

The specific versions affected by this vulnerability are:

• simple-git-1.132.0.tgz
• simple-git-2.47.0.tgz

These versions are commonly found in the node_modules directory of various projects, as highlighted in the provided information:

• /aws-node-dynamic-image-resizer/node_modules/simple-git/package.json
• /aws-golang-auth-examples/node_modules/simple-git/package.json
• /aws-golang-dynamo-stream-to-elasticsearch/node_modules/simple-git/package.json
• /aws-node-http-api-typescript/node_modules/simple-git/package.json
• /aws-node-rest-api-typescript-simple/node_modules/simple-git/package.json
• /aws-node-typescript-apollo-lambda/node_modules/simple-git/package.json
• /aws-python-auth0-custom-authorizers-api/node_modules/simple-git/package.json
• /aws-rust-simple-http-endpoint/node_modules/simple-git/package.json
• /aws-node-fullstack/backend/node_modules/simple-git/package.json

If your project uses these versions of simple-git, it is crucial to take immediate action to mitigate the risk.

Dependency Hierarchy

The vulnerability often exists within a dependency hierarchy, meaning your project might not directly depend on simple-git but includes it as a sub-dependency of another library. For example:

• serverless-1.83.3.tgz (Root Library) -
  • enterprise-plugin-3.8.4.tgz
    • :x: simple-git-1.132.0.tgz (Vulnerable Library)
• enterprise-plugin-4.6.0.tgz (Root Library)
  • :x: simple-git-2.47.0.tgz (Vulnerable Library)

This highlights the importance of scanning your project's dependencies, including sub-dependencies, for known vulnerabilities.

Understanding the CVSS 3 Score

The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) is a standardized way to assess the severity of security vulnerabilities. CVE-2022-25860 has a CVSS 3 score of 8.1, which is considered high severity. Let's break down the key metrics that contribute to this score:

Base Score Metrics

The base score reflects the intrinsic characteristics of the vulnerability:

• Exploitability Metrics: These metrics describe how easily the vulnerability can be exploited.
  • Attack Vector: Network: The vulnerability can be exploited over a network, making it remotely exploitable.
  • Attack Complexity: High: Exploitation requires specific conditions or attacker capabilities, making it more challenging to exploit but still possible.
  • Privileges Required: None: An attacker doesn't need any special privileges to exploit the vulnerability.
  • User Interaction: None: No user interaction is required to trigger the vulnerability.
  • Scope: Unchanged: The vulnerability's impact is limited to the affected component.
• Impact Metrics: These metrics describe the potential impact of a successful exploit.
  • Confidentiality Impact: High: An attacker could gain access to sensitive information.
  • Integrity Impact: High: An attacker could modify data or system configurations.
  • Availability Impact: High: An attacker could cause a denial-of-service, making the system unavailable.

The high scores across these metrics underscore the significant risk posed by this vulnerability. A successful exploit could lead to severe consequences, including data breaches, system compromise, and service disruptions.

Suggested Fix: Upgrade to simple-git 3.16.0 or later

The recommended solution to address CVE-2022-25860 is to upgrade to simple-git version 3.16.0 or later. This version includes the necessary security fixes to mitigate the vulnerability. You can find the official advisory on GitHub:

• https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-9w5j-4mwv-2wj8

How to Upgrade

The process of upgrading simple-git will vary depending on your project's package manager and dependency management strategy. However, the general steps are:

1. Identify simple-git in your project's dependencies: Check your package.json file or your project's dependency tree to confirm if you are using a vulnerable version of simple-git.
2. Use your package manager to update:
   • npm: npm install simple-git@latest (or specify version 3.16.0 or higher)
   • Yarn: yarn upgrade simple-git@latest (or specify version 3.16.0 or higher)
3. Verify the upgrade: After the upgrade, double-check your package.json file or dependency tree to ensure the correct version of simple-git is installed.
4. Test your application: Thoroughly test your application to ensure the upgrade hasn't introduced any compatibility issues.

Additional Security Measures

While upgrading simple-git is the primary solution for CVE-2022-25860, it's also essential to implement other security best practices:

• Regularly update dependencies: Keep all your project's dependencies up-to-date to benefit from the latest security patches and bug fixes.
• Use a dependency vulnerability scanner: Employ tools like Mend Bolt (mentioned in the original text) or Snyk to automatically scan your project for known vulnerabilities.
• Implement input validation: Sanitize and validate all user inputs to prevent code injection and other attacks.
• Follow the principle of least privilege: Grant your application only the necessary permissions to minimize the impact of a potential compromise.

Conclusion

CVE-2022-25860 is a critical vulnerability affecting simple-git that could lead to severe security consequences. If you are using a vulnerable version, it's crucial to upgrade to version 3.16.0 or later immediately. By staying informed about vulnerabilities and implementing security best practices, you can protect your applications and systems from potential threats.

For more in-depth information about vulnerability management and security best practices, consider exploring resources like the OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) website. Staying proactive about security is essential in today's threat landscape. Ensure your projects are safe and secure by addressing vulnerabilities promptly and implementing robust security measures.