MJML <= 4.6.2 mj-include "path" Path Traversal
Jun 14, 2020 · By Julien Ahrens
ADVISORY INFORMATION
- Product: MJML
- Vendor URL: https://github.com/mjmlio/mjml
- Type: Path Traversal [CWE-22]
- Date found: 2020-04-28
- Date published: 2020-06-14
- CVSSv3 Score: 7.2 (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:L)
- CVE: CVE-2020-12827
CREDITS
This vulnerability was discovered and researched by Julien Ahrens from RCE Security.
VERSIONS AFFECTED
MJML <= 4.6.2
As a solution MJML disabled mj-include by default in MJML v4.6.3 by adding the “ignoreIncludes” directive, however, the component could still be explicitly enabled, making the application vulnerable again.
INTRODUCTION
MJML is a markup language created by Mailjet and designed to reduce the pain of coding a responsive email. Its semantic syntax makes it easy and straightforward while its rich standard components library fastens your development time and lightens your email codebase. MJML’s open-source engine takes care of translating the MJML you wrote into responsive HTML.
(from the vendor’s homepage)
VULNERABILITY DETAILS
MJML offers a component called “mj-include” that allows other external MJML files to be included into the email template by using its “path” attribute. (see https://mjml.io/documentation/#mj-include) .
However MJML does not properly validate the value supplied to the “path” argument, allowing an attacker to traverse directories or even directly point to other system files outside of the web server’s root directory.
However since MJML expects the referenced file to be in the format of a MJML file, the attack scope is limited to:
- Leaking the local server path by pointing to a non-existing MJML file, which
throws an error containing the full path, i.e.:
<mjml><mj-include path='test'/></mjml>
- Enumerating local server files by using a true/false approach. Existing server
files return an error, while non-existing do not:
<mjml><mj-include path='/etc/passwd'/></mjml>
- Partially reading local binary server files. Pointing path to binary files
throws an error, but the error message does contain a portion of the referenced file. On this way it is possible to leak parts of i.e. compressed local log files:
<mjml><mj-include path='/var/log/apt/history.log.1.gz'/></mjml>
- Causing denial of service conditions on the application embedding MJML, by
reading i.e. /dev/urandom:
<mjml><mj-include path='/dev/urandom'/></mjml>
RISK
The vulnerability can be used by an unauthenticated attacker or authenticated attacker depending on how MJML is embedded to leak sensitive information about the server such as local server paths and contents of compressed/binary files or cause denial of service attacks against the application.
SOLUTION
Update MJML to version 4.6.3 and keep “ignoreIncludes” set to false.
REPORT TIMELINE
- 2020-04-28: Discovery of the vulnerability
- 2020-04-30: Reported the vulnerability to maintainers of MJML
- 2020-05-05: MJML pushes a fix disabling includes by default.
- 2020-05-11: CVE requested from MITRE
- 2020-05-13: MITRE assigns CVE-2020-12827
- 2020-06-14: Public disclosure.