CVE-2023-25578 : Security Advisory and Response

This CVE record pertains to a Denial of Service (DoS) vulnerability in the Starlite framework when parsing multipart request bodies. The vulnerability has been assigned a CVSS base score of 7.5, categorizing it as a high severity issue.

Understanding CVE-2023-25578

This section will delve into the details of CVE-2023-25578, shedding light on the nature of the vulnerability and its implications.

What is CVE-2023-25578?

The CVE-2023-25578 vulnerability exists in the Starlite Asynchronous Server Gateway Interface (ASGI) framework. Prior to version 1.5.2, the parsing of request bodies in Starlite allows an attacker to consume significant CPU time and RAM resources. Specifically, the multipart body parser processes an unlimited number of file parts and field parts, potentially leading to a remote, unauthenticated Denial of Service (DoS) attack. Applications utilizing a request handler that accepts a

Body(media_type=RequestEncodingType.MULTI_PART)

are affected by this vulnerability. Attackers can exploit this flaw by sending multiple concurrent multipart requests, resulting in the exhaustion of CPU and RAM resources, leading to service disruption.

The Impact of CVE-2023-25578

The impact of CVE-2023-25578 is significant as it allows attackers to launch remote DoS attacks, disrupting the normal operation of affected applications. The vulnerability can lead to the consumption of CPU time and memory, potentially causing delays in processing legitimate user requests.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-25578

In this section, we will explore the specific technical aspects of CVE-2023-25578, including the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Starlite allows unauthenticated attackers to exploit the multipart body parser, leading to excessive consumption of CPU and memory resources. This can result in the blocking of worker processes and delays in serving legitimate user requests, potentially causing out-of-memory kills.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability impacts Starlite framework versions prior to 1.5.2. Specifically, versions lower than 1.5.2 are susceptible to the DoS vulnerability when parsing multipart request bodies.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit CVE-2023-25578 by sending multiple concurrent multipart requests to the vulnerable Starlite framework. By overwhelming the framework with such requests, attackers can exhaust CPU and memory resources, leading to denial of service conditions.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2023-25578 and prevent potential exploitation, it is crucial to implement immediate steps for mitigation and establish long-term security practices to safeguard against similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Immediate Steps to Take

Organizations using the Starlite framework should update to version 1.5.2 or higher, which includes a patch for the vulnerability.
Monitor system resources for unusual consumption that may indicate an ongoing DoS attack.
Implement network-level protections to mitigate the impact of DoS attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software components to ensure the latest security patches are applied.
Conduct security assessments and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities proactively.
Educate developers and security teams on secure coding practices to prevent such vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

The release of Starlite version 1.5.2 contains the necessary patch to mitigate the CVE-2023-25578 vulnerability. Organizations are advised to update their Starlite installations promptly to secure their systems against potential exploitation.