CVE-2022-0315 in horovod
Summary
by MITRE • 03/24/2022
Insecure Temporary File in GitHub repository horovod/horovod prior to 0.24.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/25/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-0315 affects the horovod machine learning framework repository prior to version 0.24.0, specifically addressing insecure temporary file handling practices that create significant security risks for distributed training environments. This issue resides within the repository's implementation of temporary file creation mechanisms used during the build and deployment processes of the horovod framework. The insecure temporary file handling represents a critical weakness that can be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to system resources or manipulate the build process.
The technical flaw manifests in how the repository manages temporary files during installation and execution phases, creating predictable temporary file paths that can be exploited through race condition vulnerabilities or symbolic link attacks. This vulnerability falls under the category of CWE-377 - Insecure Temporary Files, which specifically addresses the creation of temporary files with insufficient security measures. The flaw allows attackers to potentially overwrite or manipulate temporary files that are created during the software installation process, particularly when the system lacks proper permissions or file access controls for temporary directories. Attackers can leverage this weakness to execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges, especially when the software runs with elevated permissions during temporary file creation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to affect the integrity of distributed machine learning workflows that rely on horovod for coordinating multi-node training processes. When exploited, this vulnerability can compromise the entire distributed training environment, potentially leading to data corruption, unauthorized access to training datasets, or complete system compromise. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where horovod is used for large-scale machine learning operations, as it can affect multiple nodes within a distributed cluster. The attack surface is widened when considering that horovod is commonly used in cloud environments and containerized deployments where temporary file handling practices may be inconsistent across different execution contexts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-0315 should prioritize upgrading to horovod version 0.24.0 or later, which includes proper temporary file handling mechanisms that address the insecure practices. Organizations should implement additional controls such as restricting temporary file creation permissions, using secure temporary directory configurations, and implementing proper file access controls during build processes. The remediation approach aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 - Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python, as attackers may leverage the vulnerability to execute malicious code through compromised temporary files. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring for temporary file creation patterns and establishing secure coding practices for future development work. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding guidelines and proper file handling practices in distributed computing environments where multiple processes may interact with temporary storage mechanisms. Organizations should also review their build and deployment pipelines to ensure that temporary file handling follows industry best practices and security standards such as those outlined in the OWASP Secure Coding Practices.