UAParser.js is a JavaScript library to detect browsers, operating systems, CPUs, and devices from user-agent data. From 2.0.1 until 2.0.10, a regular expression denial-of-service vulnerability exists when using the Client Hints API. By sending a crafted Sec-CH-UA-Model header to an application that calls UAParser(headers).withClientHints(), an attacker can cause excessive CPU time due to catastrophic backtracking in the device regex because Client Hints values are copied without the UA_MAX_LENGTH limit used for User-Agent values. This issue is fixed in version 2.0.10.
Weakness
The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.
Potential Mitigations
Mitigation of resource exhaustion attacks requires that the target system either:
The first of these solutions is an issue in itself though, since it may allow attackers to prevent the use of the system by a particular valid user. If the attacker impersonates the valid user, they may be able to prevent the user from accessing the server in question.
The second solution is simply difficult to effectively institute – and even when properly done, it does not provide a full solution. It simply makes the attack require more resources on the part of the attacker.
Related Attack Patterns
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/147.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/227.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/492.html
References
- https://github.com/faisalman/ua-parser-js/commit/90354d3458495628b1d3ba68a9d76673e6d14fc5
- https://github.com/faisalman/ua-parser-js/releases/tag/2.0.10
- https://github.com/faisalman/ua-parser-js/security/advisories/GHSA-9h5v-pfqq-x599
- https://github.com/faisalman/ua-parser-js/security/advisories/GHSA-9h5v-pfqq-x599