The vulnerability CVE-2018-71-60 is a specific vulnerability that affects Node.js projects. Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve taking certain steps to secure the debug port in order to prevent unauthorized access and potential attacks.
One important mitigation strategy is to disable the debug port in production environments. By default, Node.js listens for debug connections on port 5858. However, leaving this port open in production environments can expose sensitive information and allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to the application. Therefore, it is recommended to disable the debug port or ensure that it is only enabled in development or testing environments.
To disable the debug port, you can modify the Node.js startup command by removing the `–inspect` or `–inspect-brk` flag. This ensures that the debug port is not open and accessible to potential attackers. For example, if you are using the `node` command to start your application, you can simply remove the `–inspect` flag from the command.
Another mitigation strategy is to restrict access to the debug port using firewall rules or network configuration. By allowing access to the debug port only from trusted IP addresses or networks, you can reduce the risk of unauthorized access. This can be achieved by configuring firewall rules to allow incoming connections to the debug port only from specific IP addresses or IP ranges.
Additionally, it is important to keep the Node.js version up to date. Vulnerabilities like CVE-2018-71-60 are often addressed in newer versions of Node.js, so by keeping your Node.js installation updated, you can benefit from the security patches and fixes provided by the Node.js community.
Securing the debug port is important because it can provide attackers with a direct entry point into your application. If the debug port is accessible and not properly secured, attackers can potentially exploit vulnerabilities or gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. They can use the debug port to inspect the application's internal state, modify its behavior, or even execute arbitrary code. Therefore, securing the debug port is important to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your Node.js application.
Mitigating the vulnerability CVE-2018-71-60 involves disabling the debug port in production environments, restricting access to the debug port using firewall rules, and keeping the Node.js version up to date. Securing the debug port is important because it prevents unauthorized access and potential attacks on your Node.js application.
Other recent questions and answers regarding EITC/IS/WASF Web Applications Security Fundamentals:
- Does implementation of Do Not Track (DNT) in web browsers protect against fingerprinting?
- Does HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) help to protect against protocol downgrade attacks?
- How does the DNS rebinding attack work?
- Do stored XSS attacks occur when a malicious script is included in a request to a web application and then sent back to the user?
- Is the SSL/TLS protocol used to establish an encrypted connection in HTTPS?
- What are fetch metadata request headers and how can they be used to differentiate between same origin and cross-site requests?
- How do trusted types reduce the attack surface of web applications and simplify security reviews?
- What is the purpose of the default policy in trusted types and how can it be used to identify insecure string assignments?
- What is the process for creating a trusted types object using the trusted types API?
- How does the trusted types directive in a content security policy help mitigate DOM-based cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities?
View more questions and answers in EITC/IS/WASF Web Applications Security Fundamentals

