CVE-2021-22095 : What You Need to Know

This article provides detailed information about CVE-2021-22095, a vulnerability found in Spring AMQP versions 2.2.0 - 2.2.19 and 2.3.0 - 2.3.11 that can lead to an Out-of-Memory (OOM) error.

Understanding CVE-2021-22095

CVE-2021-22095 is a security flaw identified in Spring AMQP that affects versions 2.2.0 - 2.2.19 and 2.3.0 - 2.3.11. It revolves around the creation of a new String object from the message body within the Spring AMQP Message object's toString() method, regardless of its size.

What is CVE-2021-22095?

In Spring AMQP versions 2.2.0 - 2.2.19 and 2.3.0 - 2.3.11, the toString() method of the Spring AMQP Message object generates a new String object from the message body, potentially leading to an Out-of-Memory (OOM) error when dealing with large messages.

The Impact of CVE-2021-22095

This vulnerability can be exploited by an attacker to cause an OOM error in systems running the affected versions of Spring AMQP. It poses a risk to system availability and performance.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-22095

The technical details of CVE-2021-22095 are as follows:

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from the inappropriate handling of message bodies within the Spring AMQP Message object's toString() method, resulting in the creation of unnecessary String objects and the potential for OOM errors.

Affected Systems and Versions

Spring AMQP versions 2.2.0 - 2.2.19 and 2.3.0 - 2.3.11 are impacted by this vulnerability, exposing systems that utilize these versions to the risk of OOM errors.

Exploitation Mechanism

An attacker can take advantage of this vulnerability by crafting and sending a specially designed message to exploit the incorrect String object creation process, triggering OOM errors.

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2021-22095, consider the following actions:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Spring AMQP to versions 2.2.20 or 2.3.12, which contain fixes for this vulnerability.
Monitor system resources for signs of unusual memory consumption that could indicate a potential attack.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement secure coding practices to prevent untrusted data deserialization vulnerabilities.
Regularly audit and update dependencies to ensure that known vulnerabilities are addressed promptly.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by the Spring AMQP project to address CVE-2021-22095 and other potential security concerns.