Overview
The vulnerability under discussion, identified as CVE-2025-51495, resides in the WebSocket component of Mongoose versions 7.5 to 7.17. This vulnerability, if exploited, could lead to a buffer overflow, potentially compromising systems and leaking sensitive data. Given the widespread use of Mongoose, this vulnerability exposes numerous systems to a considerable risk.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-51495
Severity: High (CVSS: 7.5)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: Potential system compromise and data leakage
Affected Products
Product | Affected Versions
Mongoose | 7.5 to 7.17
How the Exploit Works
The exploit takes advantage of an integer overflow vulnerability in the WebSocket component of Mongoose. By sending a specially crafted WebSocket request, an attacker can cause the application to crash. If downstream vendors have integrated this component improperly, the issue could escalate into a buffer overflow, potentially leading to system compromise or data leakage.
Conceptual Example Code
Here’s a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited. In this case, the attacker is sending a specially crafted WebSocket request to the target server.
GET /vulnerable/endpoint HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Upgrade: websocket
Connection: Upgrade
Sec-WebSocket-Key: x3JJHMbDL1EzLkh9GBhXDw==
Sec-WebSocket-Version: 13
Content-Length: 18446744073709551616
In this example, the `Content-Length` header is set to a value that triggers the integer overflow, leading to an application crash and potentially a buffer overflow if the WebSocket component has been improperly integrated.
Mitigation Guidance
To mitigate this vulnerability, vendors are advised to apply the latest patches provided by Mongoose. In the absence of a patch, using Web Application Firewalls (WAF) or Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) could offer temporary mitigation. Ensure to keep your systems up to date and continuously monitor for any unusual network activities.
