CVE-2022-24736 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Redis is an in-memory database that persists on disk. An attacker attempting to load a specially crafted Lua script can cause a NULL pointer dereference, resulting in a crash of the redis-server process. This vulnerability affects Redis versions prior to 6.2.7 and 7.0.0. The issue has been fixed in Redis versions 6.2.7 and 7.0.0. If Lua scripting is not being used, blocking access to

SCRIPT LOAD

and

EVAL

commands using ACL rules can also help mitigate the problem.

Understanding CVE-2022-24736

This section dives deeper into the implications and technical details of CVE-2022-24736.

What is CVE-2022-24736?

CVE-2022-24736 involves a vulnerability in Redis that allows an attacker to crash the redis-server process by loading a specially crafted Lua script, leading to a NULL pointer dereference. The affected versions are Redis versions prior to 6.2.7 and 7.0.0.

The Impact of CVE-2022-24736

The impact of this vulnerability is considered low severity, with an overall base score of 3.3 according to the CVSS 3.1 metrics. It requires low privileges and user interaction, with a low availability impact.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-24736

This section goes into the technical aspects of the CVE, including the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from a NULL pointer dereference caused by loading a malformed Lua script in Redis versions prior to 6.2.7 and 7.0.0.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability impacts Redis versions before 6.2.7 and 7.0.0. Users of these versions are advised to update to the patched versions to mitigate the risk.

Exploitation Mechanism

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by loading a specially crafted Lua script into the Redis server, triggering a crash due to the NULL pointer dereference.

Mitigation and Prevention

In this section, we discuss the steps to mitigate and prevent the CVE-2022-24736 vulnerability.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users should update their Redis installations to versions 6.2.7 and 7.0.0 to address the vulnerability. If Lua scripting is not essential, blocking access to

SCRIPT LOAD

and

EVAL

commands using ACL rules can also help mitigate the issue.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing secure coding practices, regular security assessments, and timely applying security patches can help prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Regularly monitor for security advisories from Redis and apply patches promptly to keep the Redis environment secure.