Executive brief
Grunt is a JavaScript task automation tool used by developers to automate repetitive tasks in web projects. Versions prior to 1.5.2 contain a path traversal vulnerability that allows a local attacker with limited privileges to read sensitive files on the system with higher privileges. An attacker could exploit this to access confidential data or configuration files.
Technical details
Grunt prior to version 1.5.2 is vulnerable to path traversal (CWE-22) via improper link handling. The vulnerability exists in how Grunt processes file paths, allowing directory traversal sequences such as "../" to escape intended directory boundaries. The attack requires local access and limited user privileges to execute. An attacker can achieve arbitrary file read access with the privileges of the Grunt process, potentially exposing sensitive configuration files, private keys, or source code. The vulnerability was patched in Grunt version 1.5.2, with fixes merged in PR #1743.
Affected products
- Grunt Grunt prior to 1.5.2
Timeline
- 2022-04-13: disclosed
- 2022-04-12: patched: Fixed in version 1.5.2