CVE-2022-1941 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A parsing vulnerability for the MessageSet type in ProtocolBuffers versions prior to 3.21.5 for protobuf-cpp and 4.21.5 for protobuf-python can lead to out of memory failures, causing Denial of Service attacks. Upgrading to recommended versions is crucial.

Understanding CVE-2022-1941

A parsing vulnerability in ProtocolBuffers for cpp and python versions could lead to out of memory failures and Denial of Service attacks.

What is CVE-2022-1941?

CVE-2022-1941 is a parsing vulnerability in ProtocolBuffers that can cause out of memory failures, affecting versions prior to 3.21.5 for protobuf-cpp and 4.21.5 for protobuf-python.

The Impact of CVE-2022-1941

The vulnerability could be exploited with a specially crafted message, causing a denial of service against services receiving unsanitized input.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-1941

Vulnerability Description

A parsing vulnerability in the MessageSet type of ProtocolBuffers versions could lead to out of memory failures.

Affected Systems and Versions

Google LLC's protobuf-cpp and protobuf-python versions prior to 3.21.5 and 4.21.5, respectively, are affected.

Exploitation Mechanism

Crafting messages with multiple key-value per elements can create parsing issues and trigger the vulnerability.

Mitigation and Prevention

To prevent the exploit of CVE-2022-1941, immediate action is necessary.

Immediate Steps to Take

It is recommended to upgrade to versions 3.21.6 for protobuf-cpp and 4.21.6 for protobuf-python. Older versions from 3.16 to 3.17 are no longer supported.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement input validation and sanitize data inputs to prevent parsing vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Regularly update ProtocolBuffers to the latest versions to patch vulnerabilities and ensure system security.