Vulnerability in CouchDB (CVE-2020-1955)

Summary

Vulnerability in CouchDB (CVE-2020-1955). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. Exploitable via require_valid_user_except_for_up.

Original description

The description as published by the source.

CouchDB version 3.0.0 shipped with a new configuration setting that governs access control to the entire database server called require_valid_user_except_for_up. It was meant as an extension to the long standing setting require_valid_user, which in turn requires that any and all requests to CouchDB will have to be made with valid credentials, effectively forbidding any anonymous requests. The new require_valid_user_except_for_up is an off-by-default setting that was meant to allow requiring valid credentials for all endpoints except for the /_up endpoint. However, the implementation of this made an error that lead to not enforcing credentials on any endpoint, when enabled. CouchDB versions 3.0.1[1] and 3.1.0[2] fix this issue.

Source: OSV.dev (Open Source Vulnerabilities) NVD OSV

Auto-generated summary

Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.

A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2020-1955 has been found in CouchDB.
Attackers can target a specific entry point like require_valid_user_except_for_up over the network to misuse the product.
Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
What to do: apply the vendor's official patched release.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "CouchDB CVE-2020-1955" on the vendor's site.

CVE-2020-1955 (CouchDB)
Attack vector: remote (network-reachable) / unauthenticated / no user interaction
Attack surface: require_valid_user_except_for_up / require_valid_user
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.

❓ What is the problem

A vulnerability (unclassified) exists in CouchDB. Attackers reach the vulnerable code path via require_valid_user_except_for_up without authentication.

📍 Affected scope

Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of CouchDB. Attack surface: require_valid_user_except_for_up / require_valid_user.

🔥 Severity

Severity: ?. Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.

🔧 How to fix

Update to the patched release per vendor advisory.

🛡️ Workaround

Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.

🔍 Detection

Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Run grep -r 'CouchDB' . against your dependency files (package-lock.json, requirements.txt, go.sum) to find affected services.

Response actions

Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order

1
Identify exposure identify
```
grep -r 'CouchDB' . | grep -v node_modules
```
リポジトリと本番環境の依存ファイル (package-lock.json / requirements.txt / go.sum / Gemfile.lock 等) で CouchDB を grep し、稼働しているサービス・バージョンを把握する。
2
Post-deployment verification verify
```
Confirm patched version is live in production
```
パッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。

Affected packages

Bitnami couchdb

[{"type":"SEMVER","events":[{"introduced":"3.0.0"},{"fixed":"3.0.1"}]}]

References

advisory docs.couchdb.org
web nvd.nist.gov