CVE-2020-36048 : Security Advisory and Response

Engine.IO before 4.0.0 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (resource consumption) via a POST request to the long polling transport.

Understanding CVE-2020-36048

Engine.IO vulnerability leading to denial of service attack.

What is CVE-2020-36048?

Engine.IO before version 4.0.0 is susceptible to a denial of service attack due to resource consumption triggered by a specific POST request to the long polling transport.

The Impact of CVE-2020-36048

This vulnerability allows attackers to disrupt the availability of services by consuming excessive resources, leading to a denial of service condition.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-36048

Engine.IO vulnerability details.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Engine.IO before 4.0.0 enables attackers to exploit a POST request to the long polling transport, causing resource exhaustion and a denial of service.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Not applicable
Vendor: Not applicable
Versions affected: All versions before 4.0.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending a malicious POST request to the long polling transport, triggering resource consumption and service disruption.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2020-36048.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Engine.IO to version 4.0.0 or newer to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious POST requests to the long polling transport.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement network intrusion detection systems to identify and block malicious traffic.
Regularly review and update security configurations to prevent similar vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches and updates provided by Engine.IO promptly to address security flaws and enhance system resilience.