CVE-2023-25153 : Security Advisory and Response

This CVE record details a vulnerability in containerd's OCI image importer that could lead to memory exhaustion and denial of service attacks. The vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS base score of 6.2, indicating a medium severity issue.

Understanding CVE-2023-25153

The vulnerability in containerd's OCI image importer stems from a lack of limits on resource allocation, making it susceptible to memory exhaustion attacks.

What is CVE-2023-25153?

containerd, an open-source container runtime, allowed the importing of OCI images without enforcing limits on the amount of data read for certain files. This oversight could be exploited by a malicious actor by crafting a large file within an image, causing a denial of service when the unbounded resource consumption exhausts available memory.

The Impact of CVE-2023-25153

The impact of this vulnerability is significant, as it could result in denial of service attacks on systems running vulnerable versions of containerd. Attackers could exploit the lack of resource limits to exhaust system memory, leading to service disruption and potential downtime.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-25153

The vulnerability in containerd's OCI image importer allows for the exploitation of memory exhaustion due to unbounded resource allocation during image import processes.

Vulnerability Description

Before versions 1.6.18 and 1.5.18 of containerd, the OCI image importer did not impose limits on the data read for certain files during the image import process, enabling malicious actors to launch denial of service attacks through crafted images with large unbounded files.

Affected Systems and Versions

The following versions of containerd are affected by CVE-2023-25153:

Versions prior to 1.5.18
Versions greater than or equal to 1.6.0 and less than 1.6.18

Exploitation Mechanism

By importing malicious OCI images containing large unbounded files into vulnerable versions of containerd, attackers could trigger memory exhaustion, leading to denial of service conditions.

Mitigation and Prevention

It is crucial for users to take immediate steps to mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2023-25153 and prevent potential attacks.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade containerd to versions 1.6.18 or 1.5.18, where the vulnerability has been patched.
Ensure that only trusted images are used for importing into containerd.
Limit permissions to import images to trusted users to reduce the risk of exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update containerd to the latest secure versions to stay protected against known vulnerabilities.
Implement security best practices such as image scanning and secure configurations to enhance container security posture.

Patching and Updates

Users are advised to update their containerd installations to version 1.6.18 or 1.5.18 to address the vulnerability and prevent potential memory exhaustion attacks. Additionally, staying informed about security advisories and promptly applying patches is crucial for maintaining a secure container runtime environment.