CVE-2017-7652 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

Eclipse Mosquitto 1.4.14 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (DoS) by triggering a configuration reload when file descriptors are exhausted.

Understanding CVE-2017-7652

This CVE affects Eclipse Mosquitto version 1.4.14 and can lead to a DoS condition under specific circumstances.

What is CVE-2017-7652?

When a Mosquitto instance running with a configuration file receives a HUP signal to reload the configuration, and there are no available file descriptors due to numerous connected clients, the attempt to open the configuration file fails.

The Impact of CVE-2017-7652

The vulnerability can be exploited to cause a DoS condition on systems running Eclipse Mosquitto 1.4.14.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-7652

This section provides more in-depth technical insights into the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises when attempting to reload the configuration file under high client connection loads, leading to a failure due to exhausted file descriptors.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Eclipse Mosquitto
Vendor: The Eclipse Foundation
Version: 1.4.14

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending a HUP signal to the server when file descriptors are depleted, causing the configuration reload to fail.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2017-7652 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Monitor file descriptor usage and connections to prevent depletion.
Implement resource limits to avoid exhausting file descriptors.
Apply patches or updates provided by the vendor.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and optimize system resource allocation.
Conduct security assessments to identify and mitigate similar vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply the security updates released by Eclipse Foundation to address CVE-2017-7652.