CVE-2022-31078 : Security Advisory and Response

KubeEdge is an open-source system that extends native containerized application orchestration capabilities to hosts at the edge. The vulnerability in the CloudCore Router prior to versions 1.11.1, 1.10.2, and 1.9.4 allows an attacker to trigger a denial of service (DoS) by exploiting the lack of response size limits.

Understanding CVE-2022-31078

This CVE highlights a vulnerability in KubeEdge's CloudCore Router that could lead to a DoS attack on CloudCore.

What is CVE-2022-31078?

The vulnerability in CloudCore Router allows an authenticated user to trigger a DoS attack by sending a request that returns an HTTP response with a large body, causing exhaustion and impacting service availability.

The Impact of CVE-2022-31078

The vulnerability poses a medium severity risk with a CVSS base score of 4.4. An attacker with high privileges can exploit it remotely over the network, leading to an unchanged impact scope but with high availability impact.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-31078

The following details shed light on the technical aspects of CVE-2022-31078:

Vulnerability Description

The CloudCore Router in KubeEdge prior to versions 1.11.1, 1.10.2, and 1.9.4 does not limit response sizes, enabling attackers to cause a denial of service by sending requests with large bodies.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected versions include KubeEdge < 1.9.4, >= 1.10.0, < 1.10.2, and = 1.11.0.

Exploitation Mechanism

An attacker can exploit the vulnerability by making requests to the REST handler, which then reads HTTP responses into memory, leading to exhaustion and a denial of service.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2022-31078 and enhance security, consider the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade to KubeEdge versions 1.11.1, 1.10.2, or 1.9.4 where the vulnerability has been fixed.
Disable the router module in the

cloudcore.yaml

config file as a temporary fix.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update KubeEdge to the latest patched versions to avoid known vulnerabilities.
Implement network security controls and proper authentication mechanisms to mitigate the risk of DoS attacks.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories and apply relevant patches promptly to ensure the security of your KubeEdge deployment.