CVE-2023-28837 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis
Learn about CVE-2023-28837 affecting Wagtail CMS. Discover how uploading large files can lead to a denial-of-service issue. Take immediate steps to prevent exploitation and secure your system.
This CVE record discusses the vulnerability found in Wagtail, an open-source content management system based on Django, which allows for denial-of-service attacks via memory exhaustion when uploading large files.
Understanding CVE-2023-28837
This section will delve into the details of the CVE-2023-28837 vulnerability present in Wagtail.
What is CVE-2023-28837?
Prior to versions 4.1.4 and 4.2.2 of Wagtail, a memory exhaustion vulnerability exists in the system's handling of uploaded images and documents. This flaw allows an authenticated user with admin privileges to upload files large enough to cause a denial-of-service crash. It's important to note that ordinary site visitors without admin access cannot exploit this vulnerability.
The Impact of CVE-2023-28837
The impact of this vulnerability is significant as it can lead to a denial-of-service condition for the affected system. Admin users with upload permissions could potentially exploit this issue, causing disruption to the system's availability.
Technical Details of CVE-2023-28837
This section will provide technical insights into the vulnerability, including its description, affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability in Wagtail allows for uncontrolled resource consumption when uploading large files, leading to memory exhaustion and potential denial-of-service conditions. The handling of uploaded images and documents triggers this issue, impacting system performance.
Affected Systems and Versions
Versions below 4.1.4 and between 4.2 and 4.2.2 of Wagtail are affected by this memory exhaustion vulnerability, making them susceptible to denial-of-service attacks through large file uploads.
Exploitation Mechanism
Admin users with the ability to upload images or documents via Wagtail's admin interface can exploit this vulnerability by uploading excessively large files. This action can consume system resources beyond their limits, resulting in a denial-of-service situation.
Mitigation and Prevention
In this section, we'll explore the steps to mitigate and prevent the CVE-2023-28837 vulnerability in Wagtail.
Immediate Steps to Take
Site owners are strongly advised to update their Wagtail installations to the patched versions 4.1.4 and 4.2.2 to address this vulnerability. Additionally, enforcing file size limitations and other security measures outside of Wagtail can help mitigate the risk of denial-of-service attacks.
Long-Term Security Practices
Implementing robust access controls, regular security audits, and keeping systems up to date with the latest software patches are essential long-term security practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.
Patching and Updates
Regularly monitoring for security updates from Wagtail and promptly applying patches to vulnerable versions is crucial for maintaining the integrity and security of content management systems.
By following these mitigation strategies and best practices, organizations can enhance the security posture of their Wagtail deployments and safeguard against potential denial-of-service vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-28837.