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CVE Record

CVE-2017-16224: st is a module for serving static files.

st is a module for serving static files. An attacker is able to craft a request that results in an HTTP 301 (redirect) to an entirely different domain. A request for: http://some.server.com//nodesecurity.org/%2e%2e would result in a 301 to //nodesecurity.org/%2e%2e which most browsers treat as a proper redirect as // is translated into the current schema being used. Mitigating factor: In order for this to work, st must be serving from the root of a server (/) rather than the typical sub directory (/static/) and the redirect URL will end with some form of URL encoded .. ("%2e%2e", "%2e.", ".%2e").

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This CVE is an open redirect in the Node.js st static-file module. Under a specific configuration, a crafted URL can make the site send users to a different domain. This is mainly a phishing and trust-abuse issue, not evidence of direct server compromise.

Executive priority

Treat this as a targeted hygiene fix for internet-facing legacy Node.js services. Prioritize systems where trusted domains could be abused in phishing, customer portals, login flows, or public marketing properties.

Technical view

st versions <=1.2.1 can emit an HTTP 301 redirect to a protocol-relative external domain when serving from the web root and handling specially encoded parent-directory URL forms. The issue is categorized as CWE-601. The source bundle does not provide CVSS scoring or a named patch version.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely in older Node.js applications using st <=1.2.1, especially where st serves content from / rather than a subdirectory such as /static/. Apps not using st, or not root-mounting it, are less likely exposed.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show KEV listing or active exploitation. The described impact is user redirection to another domain through a crafted request, which could support phishing or brand impersonation if users trust links to the affected site.

Researcher notes

Evidence is limited to the CVE description and Node Security advisory reference. Key triage points are package version, mount path, and whether generated 301 responses can leave the trusted domain. Do not assume broader path traversal or code execution from these sources.

Mitigation direction

  • Inventory applications for the st package at versions <=1.2.1.
  • Check vendor or package-maintainer guidance for a fixed version or replacement.
  • Avoid serving st directly from the web root when possible.
  • Serve static assets from a constrained subdirectory such as /static/.
  • Add edge or application controls for suspicious protocol-relative redirect paths.

Validation and detection

  • Review package manifests and lockfiles for st dependency versions.
  • Inspect routing code to confirm whether st is mounted at /.
  • Review redirect logs for protocol-relative destinations and encoded parent-directory patterns.
  • Confirm scanner findings against actual application routing and deployed dependency versions.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
3

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

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cwe · medium confidence lookup

CWE-601: User-session and phishing behavior lookup

Client-side and session-facing weaknesses should be reviewed alongside initial-access and user-execution behaviors. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2017-16224 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
2Source links

CVSS and timeline data

No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
HackerOnest node module<=1.2.1Listed
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-601

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.

CWE-601 · source CWE mapping

URL Redirection to Untrusted Site ('Open Redirect')

URL Redirection to Untrusted Site ('Open Redirect') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

Open CWE intelligenceSame-CWE CVEs