The AsyncHttpClient library allows Java applications to execute HTTP requests and asynchronously process HTTP responses. From 2.0.0 until 2.16.1 and 3.0.12, PropertiesBasedResumableProcessor stores resumable download state at the predictable shared path $java.io.tmpdir/ahc/ResumableAsyncHandler.properties with default permissions and link-following file operations. A local user who can read the shared store can see download URLs, including embedded user information or query tokens. A local user who can write within or pre-create the affected shared store directory can plant a symbolic link that the client follows when saving state, truncating and overwriting a target file writable by the client process. The filesystem path is used when ResumableAsyncHandler decorates another AsyncHandler, while the no-argument constructors use a no-op processor and are unaffected. This issue is fixed in versions 2.16.1 and 3.0.12.
Weakness
The product, when opening a file or directory, does not sufficiently account for when the file is a symbolic link that resolves to a target outside of the intended control sphere. This could allow an attacker to cause the product to operate on unauthorized files.
Potential Mitigations
- Follow the principle of least privilege when assigning access rights to entities in a software system.
- Denying access to a file can prevent an attacker from replacing that file with a link to a sensitive file. Ensure good compartmentalization in the system to provide protected areas that can be trusted.
Related Attack Patterns
References
- https://github.com/AsyncHttpClient/async-http-client/commit/0422e11c954c4b026e986d1458f7a7a2eab7e591
- https://github.com/AsyncHttpClient/async-http-client/commit/d945ce3357b093e74526871cd309832a717ecfda
- https://github.com/AsyncHttpClient/async-http-client/pull/2281
- https://github.com/AsyncHttpClient/async-http-client/releases/tag/async-http-client-project-2.16.1
- https://github.com/AsyncHttpClient/async-http-client/releases/tag/async-http-client-project-3.0.12
- https://github.com/AsyncHttpClient/async-http-client/security/advisories/GHSA-cf59-3jcr-vfhw