CVE-2019-16764
CVE-2019-16764 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Powauth Powassent with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-400.
Key facts
- Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 6.5)
- CVSS v2: 2.1
- EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (61st percentile)
- Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
- Weakness: CWE-400
- Affected product: Powauth Powassent
- Published:
- Last modified:
Description
The use of `String.to_atom/1` in PowAssent is susceptible to denial of service attacks. In `PowAssent.Phoenix.AuthorizationController` a value is fetched from the user provided params, and `String.to_atom/1` is used to convert the binary value to an atom so it can be used to fetch the provider configuration value. This is unsafe as it is user provided data, and can be used to fill up the whole atom table of ~1M which will cause the app to crash.
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2019-16764?
- The use of `String.to_atom/1` in PowAssent is susceptible to denial of service attacks. In `PowAssent.Phoenix.AuthorizationController` a value is fetched from the user provided params, and `String.to_atom/1` is used to convert the binary value to an atom so it can be used to fetch the provider configuration value. This is unsafe as it is user provided data, and can be used to fill up the whole atom table of ~1M which will cause the app to crash.
- How severe is CVE-2019-16764?
- CVE-2019-16764 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
- Is CVE-2019-16764 being actively exploited?
- It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (61st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- What products are affected by CVE-2019-16764?
- CVE-2019-16764 affects Powauth Powassent. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
- How do I fix CVE-2019-16764?
- Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
- When was CVE-2019-16764 published?
- CVE-2019-16764 was published on 2019-11-25 and last updated on 2026-06-17.
References
- http://erlang.org/doc/efficiency_guide/commoncaveats.html#list_to_atom-1
- https://github.com/pow-auth/pow_assent/commit/026105eeecc0e3c2f807e7109e745ea93c0fd9cf
- https://github.com/pow-auth/pow_assent/security/advisories/GHSA-368c-xvrv-x986
- https://hex.pm/packages/pow_assent
Affected products (1)
- cpe:2.3:a:powauth:powassent:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
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