CVE-2022-24375 in node-opcua
Summary
by MITRE • 08/24/2022
The package node-opcua before 2.74.0 are vulnerable to Denial of Service (DoS) when bypassing the limitations for excessive memory consumption by sending multiple CloseSession requests with the deleteSubscription parameter equal to False.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/25/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-24375 affects the node-opcua package version prior to 2.74.0, presenting a significant denial of service risk within industrial automation and IoT systems that rely on OPC UA communication protocols. This vulnerability specifically targets the session management functionality of the OPC UA implementation, creating a condition where malicious actors can exploit the protocol's handling of session closure requests to consume excessive system resources. The flaw manifests when multiple CloseSession requests are processed with the deleteSubscription parameter set to False, which should normally preserve subscription state information but instead leads to memory accumulation that can eventually exhaust available system resources.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of session cleanup operations within the node-opcua library implementation. When CloseSession requests are processed with deleteSubscription set to false, the system fails to properly release memory allocated for subscription data structures, leading to a memory leak scenario. This issue is particularly concerning because OPC UA implementations are commonly deployed in critical infrastructure environments where system availability is paramount, and resource exhaustion can lead to complete service disruption. The vulnerability operates at the application layer and can be exploited through network-based attacks, making it accessible to remote threat actors without requiring physical access to the target system.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability can cause significant disruption to industrial control systems, manufacturing processes, and IoT deployments that depend on OPC UA for communication between devices and supervisory systems. The memory consumption pattern associated with this vulnerability can gradually increase until system resources are exhausted, potentially leading to system crashes, application failures, or complete service outages. Organizations using affected versions of node-opcua may experience unexpected downtime, data loss, or operational disruptions that can have cascading effects throughout their industrial processes. The vulnerability also represents a potential vector for persistent denial of service attacks that could be maintained over extended periods, making it particularly dangerous for operational technology environments where uptime is critical.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-400, which covers "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption," and represents a specific instance where resource management fails to properly handle session cleanup operations. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability can be categorized under the ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves "Endpoint Denial of Service," as it specifically targets endpoint systems through resource exhaustion. Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to node-opcua version 2.74.0 or later, which includes proper memory management for session cleanup operations. Additional mitigations should include network segmentation to limit access to OPC UA endpoints, implementing rate limiting for session management operations, and monitoring system resource consumption to detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify unusual patterns of CloseSession requests with the deleteSubscription parameter set to False, as this behavior represents a clear indicator of attempted exploitation.