CVE-2022-31073 : Security Advisory and Response

KubeEdge is an open source system that extends native containerized application orchestration capabilities to hosts at the Edge. However, versions prior to 1.11.1, 1.10.2, and 1.9.4 are vulnerable to a Denial of Service (DoS) attack due to a weakness in the ServiceBus server on the edge side. As a result, a very large HTTP request body can lead to memory exhaustion, impacting the overall node performance and availability.

Understanding CVE-2022-31073

This section will provide insights into the nature and impact of the vulnerability found in KubeEdge.

What is CVE-2022-31073?

CVE-2022-31073 highlights a potential DoS vulnerability in the ServiceBus module of KubeEdge versions prior to 1.11.1, 1.10.2, and 1.9.4. The issue arises when a large HTTP request is sent to the ServiceBus server on the edge side, leading to memory exhaustion and subsequent denial of service for other services on the same node.

The Impact of CVE-2022-31073

The vulnerability poses a medium severity risk with a CVSS base score of 6.5. Attackers can exploit this weakness to exhaust memory resources on the affected node, causing an availability impact that can disrupt other services hosted on the same node.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-31073

This section will delve into the technical aspects of the vulnerability including its description, affected systems, and exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The DoS vulnerability in the ServiceBus module allows malicious actors to overwhelm the ServiceBus server with a large HTTP request body, leading to memory exhaustion and denial of service.

Affected Systems and Versions

KubeEdge versions below 1.11.1, 1.10.2, and 1.9.4 are susceptible to this DoS vulnerability in the ServiceBus module.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can trigger a DoS attack by sending a specially crafted HTTP request with a very large body to the ServiceBus server on the edge side, exploiting the weakness to exhaust memory resources.

Mitigation and Prevention

To secure your systems against CVE-2022-31073, implement the following mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Disable the ServiceBus module in the

edgecore.yaml

configuration file as a temporary workaround to prevent potential DoS attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update KubeEdge to the latest patched versions to ensure that critical vulnerabilities, such as the ServiceBus DoS issue, are addressed.

Patching and Updates

Apply the available patches provided by KubeEdge to fix the vulnerability in versions 1.11.1, 1.10.2, and 1.9.4.