CVE-2022-40896 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A ReDoS issue was discovered in pygments/lexers/smithy.py in pygments through 2.15.0 via SmithyLexer.

Understanding CVE-2022-40896

This CVE describes a Regular Expression Denial of Service (ReDoS) vulnerability in Pygments through version 2.15.0, specifically in the SmithyLexer module.

What is CVE-2022-40896?

The CVE-2022-40896 is a security flaw found in the Pygments syntax highlighting package, potentially allowing attackers to execute ReDoS attacks via the affected SmithyLexer component.

The Impact of CVE-2022-40896

Exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to a denial of service condition due to the excessive CPU consumption caused by a maliciously crafted input string.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-40896

This section provides more in-depth technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from inefficient Regular Expressions in the SmithyLexer module, making it susceptible to ReDoS attacks.

Affected Systems and Versions

All versions of Pygments up to and including version 2.15.0 are affected by this vulnerability when utilizing the SmithyLexer.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this flaw by providing specially crafted input strings to trigger excessive CPU utilization, leading to a denial of service.

Mitigation and Prevention

To protect systems from CVE-2022-40896, certain mitigation and prevention measures should be implemented.

Immediate Steps to Take

Developers should update Pygments to version 2.15.1 or newer, which includes a patch to address this security issue.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement secure coding practices and perform regular security audits to catch such vulnerabilities at an early stage.

Patching and Updates

Stay up-to-date with software patches and security advisories to ensure your systems are protected from known vulnerabilities.