CVE-2022-41873 : Security Advisory and Response
Learn about CVE-2022-41873 affecting Contiki-NG versions < 4.9. Discover the impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies for this out-of-bounds read vulnerability.
This article provides an in-depth analysis of CVE-2022-41873, a vulnerability in Contiki-NG affecting versions prior to 4.9. It discusses the vulnerability, its impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies.
Understanding CVE-2022-41873
CVE-2022-41873 is an out-of-bounds read and write vulnerability in the BLE L2CAP module of Contiki-NG.
What is CVE-2022-41873?
Contiki-NG, an open-source IoT operating system, is susceptible to an out-of-bounds read. The vulnerability arises due to an integer truncation issue in processing the L2CAP protocol, allowing for out-of-bounds memory read and write with attacker-controlled data.
The Impact of CVE-2022-41873
The impact of this vulnerability is rated as medium. An attacker could exploit this issue to read and write out-of-bounds memory with malicious data, potentially leading to unauthorized disclosure or corruption of sensitive information.
Technical Details of CVE-2022-41873
This section explores the specific technical aspects of the vulnerability.
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability occurs in the mapping of an incoming channel ID to its metadata structure in the BLE L2CAP module, resulting in an incomplete out-of-bounds check due to an integer truncation issue.
Affected Systems and Versions
Contiki-NG versions prior to 4.9 are affected by this vulnerability.
Exploitation Mechanism
Attackers can craft a malicious channel ID to trigger out-of-bounds memory read and write operations with controlled data, exploiting the incomplete bounds check.
Mitigation and Prevention
In this section, we discuss the steps to mitigate and prevent the exploitation of CVE-2022-41873.
Immediate Steps to Take
Users are advised to apply the patch available in Contiki-NG pull request 2081 on GitHub as an immediate workaround to address this vulnerability.
Long-Term Security Practices
Implementing secure coding practices, continuous monitoring, and timely updates can help enhance the overall security posture of IoT systems.
Patching and Updates
The vulnerability has been patched in the "develop" branch of Contiki-NG and will be included in release 4.9, emphasizing the importance of keeping systems up-to-date to prevent exploitation.