CVE-2023-0437 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This CVE-2023-0437 affects the MongoDB C Driver with versions prior to 1.25.0, where a loop with an exit condition that cannot be reached may occur, leading to an infinite loop when calling

bson_utf8_validate

on certain inputs.

Understanding CVE-2023-0437

This section provides an insight into what CVE-2023-0437 entails, its impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies.

What is CVE-2023-0437?

The vulnerability, CVE-2023-0437, specifically falls under the category of CWE-835, indicating a "Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition ('Infinite Loop')." This vulnerability affects the MongoDB C Driver versions prior to 1.25.0, potentially causing an infinite loop when validating specific BSON input data.

The Impact of CVE-2023-0437

The impact of CVE-2023-0437 is rated as medium severity with a CVSSv3 base score of 5.3. This vulnerability can be exploited remotely with low attack complexity, leading to an availability impact. However, it does not have a direct impact on confidentiality or integrity. Understanding the impact is crucial for effective risk assessment and mitigation.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-0437

Delving into the technical aspects of CVE-2023-0437 helps in comprehending the vulnerability specifics, affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

When invoking

bson_utf8_validate

on specific inputs, an infinite loop may occur due to a unreachable exit condition, affecting MongoDB C Driver versions prior to 1.25.0. This can lead to denial of service and potential system instability.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability impacts all MongoDB C Driver versions preceding 1.25.0. Organizations using these affected versions are at risk of encountering the infinite loop issue when validating BSON input data.

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by triggering the specific conditions that lead to the infinite loop while validating BSON inputs. Malicious actors could potentially exploit this weakness to disrupt services or cause system crashes.

Mitigation and Prevention

Taking proactive measures to mitigate and prevent the CVE-2023-0437 vulnerability is crucial in maintaining system security and integrity.

Immediate Steps to Take

Organizations should update their MongoDB C Driver to version 1.25.0 or newer to address this vulnerability promptly.
Monitor system logs for any unusual activities that could indicate exploitation attempts of the infinite loop issue.
Implement network and system security controls to minimize the risk of remote exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly patch and update software components to ensure the latest security fixes are applied.
Conduct thorough security assessments and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities proactively.
Enhance system monitoring and incident response capabilities to detect and respond to potential security incidents promptly.

Patching and Updates

MongoDB Inc has released version 1.25.0 of the MongoDB C Driver to remediate the CVE-2023-0437 vulnerability. It is highly recommended for organizations to update their MongoDB C Driver to the latest version to eliminate the risk of encountering the infinite loop issue during BSON input data validation.