CVE-2020-24855 is a directory traversal vulnerability identified in the easywebpack-cli tool, affecting versions prior to 4.5.2. Directory traversal vulnerabilities, classified under CWE-22, allow an attacker to manipulate file paths in such a way that they can access files and directories outside the intended scope of the application. In this case, the vulnerability can be exploited via a crafted GET request, enabling an unauthenticated remote attacker to retrieve sensitive information from the server hosting the easywebpack-cli service. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.3, indicating a medium severity level. The vector details (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N) reveal that the attack can be conducted remotely over the network without any privileges or user interaction, and it impacts confidentiality by allowing unauthorized read access to files, but does not affect integrity or availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no official patches or vendor information are provided in the data, although it is noted that versions 4.5.2 and later presumably address the issue. The vulnerability's exploitation could lead to leakage of sensitive configuration files, source code, or other critical data residing on the server, which could be leveraged for further attacks or information gathering.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability depends largely on the deployment of easywebpack-cli within their development or production environments. Organizations using vulnerable versions may face unauthorized disclosure of sensitive internal files, potentially exposing intellectual property, credentials, or configuration details. This could facilitate subsequent targeted attacks such as privilege escalation, lateral movement, or supply chain compromises. Given the medium severity and the lack of required authentication or user interaction, attackers can remotely exploit this vulnerability with relative ease. Industries with high reliance on secure software development pipelines, such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure sectors in Europe, could be particularly at risk if they utilize this tool. Furthermore, the exposure of sensitive data could lead to regulatory compliance issues under GDPR, resulting in legal and financial repercussions.

European organizations should first identify any usage of easywebpack-cli within their environments, including development, staging, and production systems. Immediate mitigation involves upgrading easywebpack-cli to version 4.5.2 or later, where the vulnerability is fixed. In the absence of an official patch, organizations should implement strict input validation and sanitization on any interfaces accepting file path parameters to prevent directory traversal attempts. Network-level controls such as web application firewalls (WAFs) can be configured to detect and block suspicious path traversal patterns in HTTP requests. Additionally, restricting file system permissions to limit the accessible directories and files for the easywebpack-cli process can reduce the potential impact of exploitation. Regular security audits and code reviews of build tools and their configurations are recommended to detect similar vulnerabilities proactively. Monitoring logs for unusual GET requests targeting path traversal patterns can aid in early detection of exploitation attempts.