CVE-2022-22173 : Security Advisory and Response
Discover the details of CVE-2022-22173, impacting Juniper Networks Junos OS. Learn about the memory leak vulnerability, affected versions, impact, and mitigation steps.
A Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime vulnerability in the Public Key Infrastructure daemon (pkid) of Juniper Networks Junos OS allows an unauthenticated networked attacker to cause Denial of Service (DoS) by consuming all available memory. This vulnerability was made public on January 12, 2022, by Juniper Networks.
Understanding CVE-2022-22173
This vulnerability in Junos OS arises when the Certificate Revocation List (CRL) fails to download, leading to memory leakage and eventual Denial of Service attacks.
What is CVE-2022-22173?
CVE-2022-22173 relates to a memory leak issue in Juniper Networks Junos OS, impacting versions prior to 21.2R2. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to exhaust system memory and render affected systems inoperable.
The Impact of CVE-2022-22173
This vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 7.5 (High). It poses a risk of Denial of Service by unauthenticated attackers via network-based attacks, affecting the availability of the system.
Technical Details of CVE-2022-22173
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability stems from an improper release of memory in the pkid daemon when the CRL fails to download, leading to memory consumption and a DoS condition.
Affected Systems and Versions
Systems running Juniper Networks Junos OS versions prior to 21.2R2 are affected by this vulnerability, including various versions like 18.3R3-S6, 19.4R3-S5, and more.
Exploitation Mechanism
Although there are no known instances of malicious exploitation, unauthenticated attackers can exploit this vulnerability to mount a DoS attack by consuming excessive memory.
Mitigation and Prevention
Immediate Steps to Take
Juniper Networks has released updated software versions (e.g., 18.3R3-S6, 21.2R2, and subsequent releases) to address this vulnerability. It is crucial to apply these patches to mitigate the risk.
Long-Term Security Practices
Regularly monitoring memory utilization of the pkid process can help detect abnormal spikes and potential exploitation of this vulnerability.
Patching and Updates
Ensuring all Junos OS systems are updated to the patched versions is essential to prevent potential DoS incidents.