# CVE-2019-17221: PhantomJS Arbitrary File Read

> An attacker can read arbitrary files on the filesystem by supplying a crafted HTML file to PhantomJS, which is no longer maintained.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 5 Nov 2019
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x43g-gj9x-838x, UBUNTU-CVE-2019-17221

## What is CVE-2019-17221?

CVE-2019-17221 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 5 Nov 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

PhantomJS through 2.1.1 has an arbitrary file read vulnerability, as demonstrated by an XMLHttpRequest for a file:// URI. The vulnerability exists in the page.open() function of the webpage module, which loads a specified URL and calls a given callback. An attacker can supply a specially crafted HTML file, as user input, that allows reading arbitrary files on the filesystem. For example, if page.render() is the function callback, this generates a PDF or an image of the targeted file. NOTE: this product is no longer developed.

Weakness: CWE-552 (Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-17221?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including phantomjs. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `phantomjs` | npm | All versions to 2.1.1 | None |
| `phantomjs` | npm | All versions to 2.1.1 | None |

Products: Phantomjs Phantomjs.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-17221?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-17221 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-17221 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-17221 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- PhantomJS uses internal module: webpage, to open, close, render, and perform multiple actions on webpages, which suffers from an arbitrary file read vulnerability. The vulnerability exists in the page.open() function of the webpage module, which loads the specified URL and calls a given callback. When opening a HTML file, an attacker can supply specially crafted file content, which allows reading arbitrary files on the filesystem. The vulnerability is demonstrated by using page.render() as the function callback, resulting in the generation of a PDF or an image of the targeted file. (github_poc): https://github.com/h4ckologic/CVE-2019-17221

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-17221 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-17221 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 5 Nov 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-17221 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- phantomjs (npm): affected all versions up to 2.1.1; no fix listed
- phantomjs (npm): affected all versions up to 2.1.1; no fix listed

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-17221/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-17221/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-17221
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-17221
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-17221

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-17221/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.