CVE-2023-47163 : Security Advisory and Response

A detailed overview of the CVE-2023-47163 vulnerability affecting Remarshal prior to v0.17.1, leading to a potential denial-of-service issue.

Understanding CVE-2023-47163

This section will cover the impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies related to the CVE-2023-47163 vulnerability.

What is CVE-2023-47163?

Remarshal prior to v0.17.1 allows unlimited expansion of YAML alias nodes, making it susceptible to a Billion Laughs Attack. When processing untrusted YAML files, a denial-of-service (DoS) condition can be triggered.

The Impact of CVE-2023-47163

The vulnerability in Remarshal prior to v0.17.1 can result in a DoS condition when handling malicious YAML files, potentially disrupting services and causing downtime.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-47163

This section will delve into the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, as well as the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

Expanding YAML alias nodes without limits in Remarshal prior to v0.17.1 allows an attacker to craft YAML files that trigger excessive recursion, leading to the DoS condition.

Affected Systems and Versions

Remarshal's versions prior to v0.17.1 are impacted by this vulnerability, exposing systems where this specific version is in use to potential attacks.

Exploitation Mechanism

By providing specially crafted malicious YAML files, an attacker can exploit the unlimited expansion of alias nodes in Remarshal prior to v0.17.1 to overwhelm the system.

Mitigation and Prevention

Explore immediate steps and long-term security practices to safeguard systems against CVE-2023-47163.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to update Remarshal to v0.17.1 or later, which includes a patch to limit YAML alias node expansion, mitigating the DoS risk.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement input validation mechanisms and restrict access to YAML processing to trusted sources to prevent similar DoS vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Regularly check for software updates and security advisories from Remarshal to stay informed about patches addressing vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-47163.