CVE-2023-38504 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A Denial of Service (DoS) vulnerability has been identified in Sails, a realtime MVC Framework for Node.js, affecting versions prior to 1.5.7. This vulnerability, assigned the CVE-ID CVE-2023-38504, allows an attacker to crash the node process by sending a virtual request.

Understanding CVE-2023-38504

Sails DoS vulnerability for apps with sockets enabled

What is CVE-2023-38504?

CVE-2023-38504 is a high-severity vulnerability in Sails, affecting versions prior to 1.5.7, that allows attackers to crash the node process by exploiting the sockets functionality.

The Impact of CVE-2023-38504

The impact of this vulnerability is high, as attackers can disrupt the availability of services by crashing the node process, leading to potential service downtime.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-38504

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

A flaw in Sails apps prior to version 1.5.7 allows attackers to send a virtual request that crashes the node process, leading to denial of service. The issue was addressed in Sails v1.5.7.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects Sails applications running versions earlier than 1.5.7 with sockets enabled.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit the vulnerability by sending a specific virtual request to the application, triggering a crash in the node process and causing a denial of service.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the risk associated with CVE-2023-38504, immediate actions and long-term security practices are recommended.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Sails to version 1.5.7 or later to patch the vulnerability.
Disable the sockets hook in Sails as a workaround to prevent exploitation.
Remove the

sails.io.js

client from your applications to reduce the attack surface.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update dependencies and frameworks to their latest secure versions.
Implement network-level protections to filter and monitor incoming requests for suspicious patterns.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that you stay informed about security updates for Sails and apply patches promptly to address known vulnerabilities.