CVE-2022-25867 in socket.io-client
Summary
by MITRE • 08/02/2022
The package io.socket:socket.io-client before 2.0.1 are vulnerable to NULL Pointer Dereference when parsing a packet with with invalid payload format.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/03/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-25867 affects the io.socket:socket.io-client package versions prior to 2.0.1, representing a critical null pointer dereference flaw that can be exploited through malformed packet payloads. This vulnerability resides within the client-side implementation of the socket.io communication protocol, which is widely used for real-time bidirectional event-based communication between web clients and servers. The issue manifests when the client encounters a packet with an invalid payload format during the parsing process, leading to an unexpected null pointer dereference that can cause application crashes or potentially enable further exploitation.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the packet parsing logic of the socket.io client library. When processing incoming network packets, the client fails to properly validate the structure and format of the payload data before attempting to dereference pointers to various packet components. This lack of proper validation allows malicious actors to craft specially formatted packets that contain null or malformed data structures, which when processed by the vulnerable client code result in the null pointer dereference condition. The vulnerability is classified as a CWE-476 Null Pointer Dereference, which is a common class of software defects that occurs when a program attempts to access a memory location through a null pointer reference.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application crashes, as it can be leveraged to create denial-of-service conditions that disrupt legitimate client-server communications. In environments where socket.io clients are deployed in critical infrastructure or real-time applications, such as financial trading platforms, gaming services, or collaborative tools, this vulnerability could result in significant service interruptions. Attackers could exploit this flaw by sending malformed packets to connected clients, causing them to crash and restart repeatedly, thereby degrading service availability. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for Network Denial of Service, as it enables adversaries to disrupt network communications through client-side exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-25867 primarily involve upgrading to version 2.0.1 or later of the io.socket:socket.io-client package, which includes proper input validation and error handling mechanisms to prevent null pointer dereference conditions. Organizations should also implement network-level monitoring to detect and block malformed packets that could exploit this vulnerability, particularly in environments where untrusted clients connect to socket.io servers. Additional defensive measures include implementing proper error handling in application code that uses the socket.io client, adding input sanitization layers, and conducting regular security assessments of real-time communication components. The fix addresses the underlying CWE-476 issue by ensuring that all pointer dereferences are properly validated before execution, thereby preventing the null pointer dereference that could lead to application instability or potential exploitation.