CVE-2023-6337 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This CVE-2023-6337 relates to a vulnerability in HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise, where a denial of service through memory exhaustion can occur when handling large HTTP requests, potentially leading to a crash.

Understanding CVE-2023-6337

This section delves into the details of the CVE-2023-6337 vulnerability, its impact, technical aspects, and ways to mitigate and prevent potential exploitation.

What is CVE-2023-6337?

The vulnerability in HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise version 1.12.0 and newer can result in a denial of service through memory exhaustion of the host. When processing large unauthenticated and authenticated HTTP requests, Vault may attempt to map the request to memory, depleting available memory on the host and causing potential crashes. The issue has been addressed in Vault versions 1.15.4, 1.14.8, and 1.13.12.

The Impact of CVE-2023-6337

The impact of this vulnerability lies in the potential for attackers to exploit the system by sending large HTTP requests, leading to memory exhaustion and possible host crashes. The availability of the system is at high risk, with a base severity score of 7.5 out of 10.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-6337

This section provides insight into the technical aspects of the vulnerability, including its description, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stems from HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise versions 1.12.0 and newer, wherein handling large unauthenticated and authenticated HTTP requests can exhaust memory, potentially causing system crashes.

Affected Systems and Versions

The affected systems include HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise running version 1.12.0 and newer. Various platforms such as Windows, MacOS, Linux, x86, ARM, 64-bit, and 32-bit are susceptible to this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit CVE-2023-6337 by sending large HTTP requests to the vulnerable HashiCorp Vault instances, triggering memory exhaustion on the host and leading to service denial or crashes.

Mitigation and Prevention

In light of CVE-2023-6337, it is crucial for users and organizations to take immediate steps, adopt long-term security practices, and ensure timely patching and updates to mitigate the risk posed by this vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

To address the vulnerability, users should update their HashiCorp Vault or Vault Enterprise installations to the patched versions (1.15.4, 1.14.8, 1.13.12) to prevent potential memory exhaustion and system crashes associated with large HTTP requests.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing robust access controls, monitoring for abnormal HTTP request traffic patterns, and regular security audits can help enhance the overall security posture and resilience of systems against such vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Regularly monitoring security advisories from HashiCorp and promptly applying security patches and updates to the HashiCorp Vault installations are imperative in safeguarding against potential exploits and enhancing system security.

By staying informed, adopting best security practices, and prioritizing timely updates, organizations can effectively mitigate the risks posed by CVE-2023-6337 in HashiCorp Vault and Vault Enterprise.