CVE-2024-5452
RCE vulnerability in pytorch-lightning due to improper deserialization handling.
- CVSS 9.8
- CWE-913
- Input Validation and Sanitization
- Remote
A remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability exists in the lightning-ai/pytorch-lightning library version 2.2.1 due to improper handling of deserialized user input and mismanagement of dunder attributes by the `deepdiff` library. The library uses `deepdiff.Delta` objects to modify application state based on frontend actions. However, it is possible to bypass the intended restrictions on modifying dunder attributes, allowing an attacker to construct a serialized delta that passes the deserializer whitelist and contains dunder attributes. When processed, this can be exploited to access other modules, classes, and instances, leading to arbitrary attribute write and total RCE on any self-hosted pytorch-lightning application in its default configuration, as the delta endpoint is enabled by default.
- CWE
- CWE-913
- CVSS base score
- 9.8
- Published
- 2024-06-06
- OWASP
- A01 Broken Access Control
- Orthogonal defect classification
- Function
- Code defect classification
- Incorrect Check
- Category
- Input Validation and Sanitization
- Subcategory
- Insecure Parsing or Deserialization
- Accessibility scope
- Remote
- Impact
- Arbitrary Code Execution
- Affected component
- lightning-ai
- Fixed by upgrading
- Yes
Solution
Upgrade to lightning-ai/pytorch-lightning version 2.2.2 or later.
Vulnerable code sample
from deepdiff import Delta
import os
def deserialize(delta_serialized):
"""Vulnerable function that demonstrates the security issue."""
delta = Delta.from_dict(delta_serialized)
return delta
delta_serialized = {
'some_attribute': 'new_value',
'__setattr__': 'os.system("touch /tmp/pwned")'
}
delta = deserialize(delta_serialized)
class Target:
def __init__(self):
"""Vulnerable function that demonstrates the security issue."""
self.some_attribute = 'original_value'
self.__dunder_attribute__ = 'original_dunder_value'
def __setattr__(self, name, value):
"""Vulnerable function that demonstrates the security issue."""
if name == '__setattr__':
try:
exec(value)
except Exception as e:
print(f"Error executing __setattr__: {e}")
else:
super().__setattr__(name, value)
target_instance = Target()
print("Before:", target_instance.some_attribute, target_instance.__dunder_attribute__)
for key, value in delta.items():
setattr(target_instance, key, value)
print("After:", target_instance.some_attribute, target_instance.__dunder_attribute__)
if os.path.exists("/tmp/pwned"):
print("Vulnerability exploited successfully! File /tmp/pwned created.")
else:
print("Vulnerability exploitation failed.")Patched code sample
import os
from deepdiff import Delta
def deserialize(delta_serialized):
"""Secure function that fixes the vulnerability."""
# SECURE: This version prevents command injection
delta = Delta.from_dict(delta_serialized)
return delta
delta_serialized = {
'some_attribute': 'new_value',
'__setattr__': 'os.system("touch /tmp/pwned")'
}
vulnerable_delta = deserialize(delta_serialized)
class Target:
def __init__(self):
"""Secure function that fixes the vulnerability."""
self.some_attribute = 'original_value'
self.__dunder_attribute__ = 'original_dunder_value'
def __setattr__(self, name, value):
"""Secure function that fixes the vulnerability."""
allowed_attributes = ['some_attribute']
if name in allowed_attributes:
super().__setattr__(name, value)
elif name.startswith('__'):
print(f"Warning: Attempt to set dunder attribute '{name}' ignored.")
else:
print(f"Warning: Attempt to set unknown attribute '{name}' ignored.")
target_instance = Target()
print("Before:", target_instance.some_attribute, target_instance.__dunder_attribute__)
for key, value in vulnerable_delta.items():
if key in ['some_attribute']:
setattr(target_instance, key, value)
else:
print(f"Warning: Ignoring key '{key}' during delta application.")
print("After:", target_instance.some_attribute, target_instance.__dunder_attribute__)Cite this entry
@misc{vaitp:cve20245452,
title = {{RCE vulnerability in pytorch-lightning due to improper deserialization handling.}},
author = {Bogaerts, Fr\'ed\'eric and Ivaki, Naghmeh and Fonseca, Jos\'e},
year = {2024},
note = {VAITP Python Vulnerability Dataset, entry CVE-2024-5452},
howpublished = {\url{https://netpack.pt/vaitp/vulnerability/CVE-2024-5452/}}
}
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