CVE-2018-20804 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A denial of service vulnerability in MongoDB Server versions prior to 4.0.10 and 3.6.13 allows a user with query execution permissions to exploit applyOps invocations.

Understanding CVE-2018-20804

This CVE involves an invariant failure in applyOps, impacting MongoDB Server versions.

What is CVE-2018-20804?

A user with query execution permissions can trigger a denial of service attack using carefully crafted applyOps invocations.
The vulnerability affects MongoDB Server versions before 4.0.10 for MongoDB Inc. and versions before 3.6.13 for v3.6.

The Impact of CVE-2018-20804

CVSS Score: 6.5 (Medium)
Attack Vector: Network
Availability Impact: High
Attack Complexity: Low
CWE ID: CWE-20 Improper Input Validation

Technical Details of CVE-2018-20804

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

A user with query execution permissions can exploit applyOps invocations to initiate a denial of service attack.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Systems: MongoDB Server
Versions:
MongoDB Server 3.6 versions prior to 3.6.13
MongoDB Server 4.0 versions prior to 4.0.10

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by executing specially crafted applyOps invocations.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2018-20804 with the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update MongoDB Server to version 3.6.13 or 4.0.10 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Restrict query execution permissions to authorized users only.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and audit database query activities.
Implement network security measures to detect and prevent unauthorized access.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by MongoDB Inc. promptly to address vulnerabilities.