CVE-2022-31076 in KubeEdge
Summary
by MITRE • 06/28/2022
KubeEdge is built upon Kubernetes and extends native containerized application orchestration and device management to hosts at the Edge. In affected versions a malicious message can crash CloudCore by triggering a nil-pointer dereference in the UDS Server. Since the UDS Server only communicates with the CSI Driver on the cloud side, the attack is limited to the local host network. As such, an attacker would already need to be an authenticated user of the Cloud. Additionally it will be affected only when users turn on the unixsocket switch in the config file cloudcore.yaml. This bug has been fixed in Kubeedge 1.11.0, 1.10.1, and 1.9.3. Users should update to these versions to resolve the issue. Users unable to upgrade should sisable the unixsocket switch of CloudHub in the config file cloudcore.yaml.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/16/2022
CVE-2022-31076 represents a critical nil-pointer dereference vulnerability within the KubeEdge CloudCore component that operates as an extension of Kubernetes for edge computing environments. This vulnerability specifically affects the Unix Domain Socket (UDS) Server implementation within the CloudCore service, creating a potential denial-of-service condition that can completely crash the CloudCore process when processing maliciously crafted messages. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the UDS Server module, where the system attempts to dereference a null pointer when processing certain message patterns, leading to an abrupt termination of the CloudCore service.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to possess valid authentication credentials within the CloudCore environment, as the attack vector is limited to the local host network communication channel. This constraint aligns with security principle of least privilege and network segmentation, as the UDS Server only communicates with the Container Storage Interface (CSI) Driver on the cloud side, limiting the attack surface to authenticated users with access to the CloudCore service. The vulnerability is specifically triggered when users explicitly enable the unixsocket switch within the cloudcore.yaml configuration file, making it a configuration-dependent issue rather than an inherent flaw in the base system.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to edge computing deployments that rely on KubeEdge for container orchestration and device management. The CloudCore service acts as a critical control plane component that manages communication between edge nodes and the cloud infrastructure, making any disruption to its operation potentially catastrophic for edge applications. The nil-pointer dereference results in immediate service termination, which can lead to extended downtime for edge applications, loss of connectivity between edge devices and cloud management systems, and potential data consistency issues within the edge computing environment. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability and reliability of edge computing services, particularly in mission-critical deployments where continuous operation is essential.
The vulnerability maps to CWE-476 which specifically addresses null pointer dereference conditions in software systems, representing a fundamental programming error that occurs when a program attempts to access memory through a null reference. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with the T1499.004 technique related to network disruption and the T1566.001 technique involving phishing with social engineering, as it requires an authenticated user to exploit the issue. The attack requires a specific configuration change to be effective, making it a configuration-based attack vector that could be mitigated through proper security configuration management practices. Organizations should implement the recommended mitigations including immediate upgrade to patched versions 1.11.0, 1.10.1, or 1.9.3, or alternatively disabling the unixsocket switch in the cloudcore.yaml configuration file to prevent exploitation while maintaining system functionality. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation and error handling in distributed systems, particularly in edge computing environments where service availability is paramount for operational continuity.