CVE-2023-22898 : Security Advisory and Response

This CVE was published on January 10, 2023, and pertains to a vulnerability identified in workers/extractor.py in Pandora (also known as pandora-analysis/pandora) version 1.3.0. The vulnerability allows for a denial of service attack when an attacker submits a deeply nested ZIP archive, commonly referred to as a ZIP bomb.

Understanding CVE-2023-22898

This section delves into the details of CVE-2023-22898, including the nature of the vulnerability and its potential impact.

What is CVE-2023-22898?

The vulnerability in workers/extractor.py in Pandora 1.3.0 allows threat actors to carry out a denial of service attack by submitting a deeply nested ZIP archive, leading to system disruption or unavailability.

The Impact of CVE-2023-22898

The vulnerability poses a significant risk as threat actors can utilize ZIP bomb techniques to overwhelm the system's resources, causing service disruptions and potentially rendering the system inoperable.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-22898

This section provides a deeper look into the technical aspects of CVE-2023-22898, including the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, as well as the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw originated in workers/extractor.py in Pandora 1.3.0, enabling attackers to exploit the software's handling of deeply nested ZIP archives, resulting in a denial of service condition.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability impacts Pandora version 1.3.0. As per the available information, the issue affects all versions of the specified software.

Exploitation Mechanism

Threat actors can exploit this vulnerability by sending a malicious, deeply nested ZIP archive to the affected system, triggering resource exhaustion and leading to a denial of service situation.

Mitigation and Prevention

In response to CVE-2023-22898, it is crucial to implement immediate steps to mitigate the risk and prevent potential exploitation.

Immediate Steps to Take

Organizations should consider temporarily discontinuing the use of Pandora version 1.3.0 until a patch or workaround is available.
Implement network-level protections to filter out suspicious ZIP archives that may contain deeply nested structures.

Long-Term Security Practices

Stay informed about security updates and patches released by Pandora Analysis to address vulnerabilities promptly.
Regularly monitor and audit the software for any anomalous behavior or unexpected resource consumption.

Patching and Updates

Keep track of security advisories and updates from Pandora Analysis to apply patches as soon as they are released.
Upgrade to a patched version of Pandora once fixes are made available to mitigate the risk of a denial of service attack through deeply nested ZIP archives.