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GHSA-prmc-5v5w-c465 json

Client TLS credentials sent raw to server in npm package nats

published 5y ago modified 5y ago

cvss
—
not scored
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
—
no score, EPSS covers CVEs only
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

Nats is a Node.js client for the NATS messaging system.

## Problem Description

_Preview versions_ of two NPM packages and one Deno package from the NATS project contain an information disclosure flaw, leaking options to the NATS server; for one package, this includes TLS private credentials.

The _connection_ configuration options in these JavaScript-based implementations were fully serialized and sent to the server in the client's `CONNECT` message, immediately after TLS establishment.

The nats.js client supports Mutual TLS and the credentials for the TLS client key are included in the connection configuration options; disclosure of the client's TLS private key to the server has been observed.

Most authentication mechanisms are handled after connection, instead of as part of connection, so other authentication mechanisms are unaffected. For clarity: NATS account NKey authentication **is NOT affected**.

Neither the nats.ws nor the nats.deno clients support Mutual TLS: the affected versions listed below are those where the logic flaw is present. We are including the nats.ws and nats.deno versions out of an abundance of caution, as library maintainers, but rate as minimal the likelihood of applications leaking sensitive data.

## Affected versions

### Security impact

* NPM package nats.js: + **mainline is unaffected** + beta branch is vulnerable from 2.0.0-201, fixed in 2.0.0-209

### Logic flaw

* NPM package nats.ws: + status: preview + flawed from 1.0.0-85, fixed in 1.0.0-111

* Deno repository https://github.com/nats-io/nats.deno + status: preview + flawed in all git tags prior to fix + fixed with git tag v1.0.0-9

## Impact

For deployments using TLS client certificates (for mutual TLS), private key material for TLS is leaked from the client application to the server. If the server is untrusted (run by a third party), or if the client application also disables TLS verification (and so the true identity of the server is unverifiable) then authentication credentials are leaked.

## Workaround

*None*

## Solution

Upgrade your package dependencies to fixed versions, and then reissue any TLS client credentials (with new keys, not just new certificates) and revoke the old ones.

Patch / fix

  • npm nats 2.0.0-209

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Affected packages

ecosystem package affected fixed in
npm nats
>=2.0.0-201, <2.0.0-209
2.0.0-209

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-522 Insufficiently Protected Credentials

References

Sources

Fencer Intel keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.