CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2024-45296NVD status: Deferred

path-to-regexp: Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2024-45296 is a high-severity inefficient regular expression complexity vulnerability in path-to-regexp from Pillarjs, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 0.1.0, 8.0.0 as the first without the flaw, so updating path-to-regexp to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.93% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 61% of scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update path-to-regexp to 0.1.0 or 8.0.0, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
  3. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Pillarjspath-to-regexp< 0.1.10; >= 0.2.0, < 8.0.0; before 0.1.0; 0.2.0 up to, but not including, 8.0.00.1.0, 8.0.0

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
NoneNo data is disclosed.
Integrity
NoneNothing can be modified.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. Scored by CNA (github.com).

Official description

path-to-regexp turns path strings into a regular expressions. In certain cases, path-to-regexp will output a regular expression that can be exploited to cause poor performance. Because JavaScript is single threaded and regex matching runs on the main thread, poor performance will block the event loop and lead to a DoS. The bad regular expression is generated any time you have two parameters within a single segment, separated by something that is not a period (.). For users of 0.1, upgrade to 0.1.10. All other users should upgrade to 8.0.0.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity

The product uses a regular expression with a worst-case computational complexity that is inefficient and possibly exponential.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use regular expressions that do not support backtracking, e.g. by removing nested quantifiers.
  • Set backtracking limits in the configuration of the regular expression implementation, such as PHP's pcre.backtrack_limit. Also consider limits on execution time for the process.
  • Do not use regular expressions with untrusted input. If regular expressions must be used, avoid using backtracking in the expression.

More Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity vulnerabilities (CWE-1333)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in path-to-regexp

All path-to-regexp vulnerabilities

Recent Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity vulnerabilities

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