CVE-2023-28096 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This CVE-2023-28096 relates to a memory leak vulnerability found in OpenSIPS, a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server implementation.

Understanding CVE-2023-28096

The vulnerability identified in OpenSIPS involves a memory leak issue in the function

parse_mi_request

within versions starting from the 2.3 branch and prior to versions 3.1.8 and 3.2.5. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending malformed messages to the management interface (MI) of OpenSIPS, potentially leading to memory exhaustion and impacting system availability.

What is CVE-2023-28096?

The vulnerability in OpenSIPS allows attackers to exploit a memory leak in the cJSON library, leading to increased memory consumption over time. The issue was discovered while performing coverage-guided fuzzing, specifically by sending multiple requests of a particular format to the vulnerable function.

The Impact of CVE-2023-28096

If exploited, the CVE-2023-28096 vulnerability could result in a denial of service (DoS) condition due to memory exhaustion, affecting the availability of the underlying system. The issue may be particularly severe if the management interface (MI) of OpenSIPS is exposed to untrusted networks without proper authentication measures in place.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-28096

This section outlines key technical aspects of CVE-2023-28096, including the vulnerability description, affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in OpenSIPS stems from a memory leak in the

parse_mi_request

function, triggered by sending specially crafted messages to the management interface. This leads to an increase in memory consumption over time, potentially impacting system performance.

Affected Systems and Versions

OpenSIPS versions between 2.3.0 and 3.1.8, as well as versions between 3.2.0 and 3.2.5, are confirmed to be affected by the CVE-2023-28096 vulnerability. Users of these versions are urged to take immediate action to mitigate the risk posed by this flaw.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit the memory leak in OpenSIPS by sending malformed messages to the management interface (MI) without the need for authentication. By leveraging this vulnerability, attackers can cause memory exhaustion, potentially leading to service disruptions.

Mitigation and Prevention

To safeguard systems against the CVE-2023-28096 vulnerability, it is essential to implement immediate mitigation steps and establish long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users of OpenSIPS versions identified as vulnerable should prioritize updating to versions 3.1.8 or 3.2.5, where the issue has been resolved. Additionally, restricting access to the management interface (MI) and implementing proper authentication mechanisms are crucial steps to prevent exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Maintaining regular software updates and security patches is essential to address known vulnerabilities and enhance system security. Organizations should also conduct thorough security audits and implement robust security measures to proactively protect against potential threats.

Patching and Updates

OpenSIPS has released patches in versions 3.1.8 and 3.2.5 to address the memory leak vulnerability. It is highly recommended for users to apply these patches promptly to prevent exploitation and reduce the risk of service disruptions.