GHSA-hxpf-9xvq-wph8 netlicensing-mcp: REST Path Traversal Bypasses Token Redaction
REST Path Traversal Bypasses Token Redaction in netlicensing-mcpSummaryThe `netlicensing_get_product` MCP tool in `netlicensing-mcp` interpolates a caller-controlled `product_number` argument directly into a REST URL path without any validation. Passing `../token` as the product number causes `httpx` to normalize `/product/../token` into `/token`, silently redirecting the request to the NetLicensing token endpoint instead of the intended product endpoint. The response is then serialized through the generic `_wrap_json` wrapper rather than the token-specific `_wrap_json_token_read` wrapper, bypassing all APIKEY `number` and SHOP `shopURL` redaction. An authenticated MCP client can recover plaintext API key values that the token read tools intentionally mask, including admin-level APIKEY credentials.DetailsThe vulnerability is a path traversal (CWE-22) that exploits the interaction between unsanitized string interpolation and `httpx`'s WHATWG URL normalization.**Source — `src/netlicensing_mcp/tools/products.py:22`**`product_number` is inserted directly into the REST path with no validation. A value of `../token` produces the path `/product/../token`.**Sink — `src/netlicensing_mcp/client.py:143`**`httpx` constructs the full URL as `{BASE_URL}/product/../token` and, per WHATWG URL normalization rules applied to absolute URLs, resolves it to `{BASE_URL}/token`. The HTTP request is therefore sent to the NetLicensing `/core/v2/rest/token` endpoint.**Redaction bypass — `src/netlicensing_mcp/server.py:336` and `src/netlicensing_mcp/redaction.py:180-239`**The tool handler wraps the response via `_wrap_json(entity, "Product")`, which calls only the generic `_json()` redaction. The token-specific path `_wrap_json_token_read()` → `redact_token_read()` is never invoked. The function `redact_token_read()` at `redaction.py:180-239` is the only code that masks APIKEY `number` and SHOP `shopURL` fields; because it is not on this code path, the raw API key value is returned verbatim in the MCP tool output.**Complete data flow:**`server.py:312-321` — MCP dispatcher receives attacker-controlled `product_number` and calls `products.get_product(product_number)`.`tools/products.py:22` — value interpolated into `f"/product/{product_number}"` without validation.`client.py:143` — `url = f"{BASE_URL}{path}"`; `httpx` normalizes `../` and sends request to `/token` endpoint.`server.py:336` — response wrapped as `"Product"` via `_wrap_json`, not `_wrap_json_token_read`.`server.py:160-165` — generic `_json()` redaction applies only default-field masking.`redaction.py:180-239` — `redact_token_read()` with APIKEY/SHOP-specific masking is never reached.PoC**Prerequisites**Python 3.10+`netlicensing-mcp` 0.1.5 (or local commit `c8a3fec`) installed or available via `PYTHONPATH``httpx`, `python-dotenv`, `mcp[cli]` installed**Option A — Docker (recommended, reproduces Phase 2 result)****Option B — Direct Python****Expected output**The `number` field contains the raw API key value and `console_url` embeds it in plaintext — both fields that `redact_token_read()` would otherwise mask.**Remediation**Add a centralized path-segment validator in `client.py` and call it from all HTTP helper functions (`nl_get`, `nl_post`, `nl_put`, `nl_delete`):Apply the same change to `nl_post`, `nl_put`, and `nl_delete`. Add regression tests for inputs `../token`, `%2e%2e`, `%2f`, and `x/y`.ImpactAn authenticated MCP client (one that already holds a NetLicensing API key sufficient to call any MCP tool) can call `netlicensing_get_product("../token")` to retrieve plaintext APIKEY `number` values and SHOP `shopURL` values that the dedicated token read tools (`netlicensing_get_token`, `netlicensing_list_tokens`) intentionally redact. If the retrieved token carries `ROLE_APIKEY_ADMIN` privileges, the attacker gains full read/write/delete access over all resources in the target NetLicensing account, escalating from a scoped MCP client to account owner.This vulnerability is exploitable in any deployment mode — stdio (single-user) and HTTP/shared — because no non-default configuration is required. The attack requires only a valid API key to authenticate the MCP session; no admin privileges are needed to trigger the traversal.Reproduction artifacts`Dockerfile``poc.py`
CVSS v3.1 score: 9.6