Addressing Security Risks in NodeJS C/C++ Add-on Extensions

Original Post: Vulnerabilities in NodeJS C/C++ add-on extensions

The research aims to explore C/C++ vulnerabilities in NodeJS npm packages, focusing on common issues like Buffer Overflow, Denial of Service (DoS), and Memory Leakages within NodeJS C/C++ addons. The study targets NPM packages that integrate C/C++ interfaces, leaving out non-NPM listed projects. The goal is to identify vulnerability patterns in C/C++ code used in NodeJS add-ons and provide remediation examples for open source maintainers.

Key points covered:

1. NodeJS C/C++ Add-ons: An overview of NodeJS APIs that call native C/C++ code and the security vulnerabilities associated with these mechanisms.

2. Examples of Vulnerable Patterns:

   • Unhandled exceptions: Not properly handling exceptions can lead to DoS.
   • Reachable asserts: Using assert without checks can crash processes.
   • Unchecked data type: Improper coercion of JavaScript types can lead to unexpected crashes or behavior.
   • Memory leaks: Using APIs without proper checks can disclose sensitive information.

3. Methodology:

   • Created a dataset of relevant npm packages.
   • Used Snyk Code to model sources, sinks, and perform taint analysis.
   • Manually reviewed results and built PoCs for validation.

4. Outcomes: Multiple vulnerabilities were discovered in npm packages through automated and manual analysis.

5. Conclusion: The research was a significant learning experience, highlighting the importance of securing NodeJS C/C++ add-ons and showcasing the effectiveness of Snyk Code in identifying security issues.

The blog also provides detailed examples and instructions for setting up test environments to identify vulnerabilities in NodeJS C/C++ addons. The content references prior academic work and Snyk’s commitment to advancing application security in C/C++.

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