CVE-2022-41719 in msgpack
Summary
by MITRE • 11/10/2022
Unmarshal can panic on some inputs, possibly allowing for denial of service attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/01/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-41719 represents a critical denial of service weakness in systems that utilize unmarshaling operations for data processing. This flaw manifests when specific malformed inputs are provided to the unmarshaling function, causing the system to experience a panic state that terminates normal operations. The vulnerability primarily affects applications that process structured data formats such as json or xml where unmarshaling operations are frequently employed to convert serialized data into native programming structures. The panic condition occurs during the parsing phase when the unmarshaling routine encounters input that does not conform to expected data patterns or structures, leading to abrupt termination of the processing thread or entire application instance.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and error handling within the unmarshaling logic. When developers design systems to parse external data sources, they often assume that input will conform to expected schemas or formats. However, malicious actors or faulty data sources can provide inputs that trigger unexpected code paths within the unmarshaling function. This typically occurs when the parser encounters data structures that are malformed, contain unexpected field types, or include recursive references that exceed system limits. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the parsing layer, meaning that even simple data processing operations can become attack vectors for service disruption. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-665: Improper Initialization, which specifically addresses situations where improper handling of input data during initialization or parsing phases can lead to system instability. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-400: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption, as the panic condition can consume system resources and potentially be exploited to exhaust available processing capacity through repeated triggering.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for systems that process external data inputs including web services, API endpoints, and data ingestion pipelines. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting specifically designed inputs that will cause the unmarshaling process to panic, effectively creating a denial of service condition that prevents legitimate users from accessing services. The impact extends beyond simple service interruption as the panic state can potentially cause cascading failures throughout dependent systems, especially in microservices architectures where data processing failures can propagate across multiple components. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in high-availability environments where system uptime is critical, as even a single successful exploitation attempt can result in service degradation or complete system outages. In enterprise environments, this vulnerability could be leveraged to disrupt business operations, particularly affecting applications that rely heavily on external data integration or user-submitted content processing.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-41719 should focus on implementing robust input validation and error handling mechanisms within the unmarshaling processes. Organizations should ensure that all data inputs are properly validated before being passed to unmarshaling functions, implementing strict schema validation and bounds checking to prevent malformed data from triggering panic conditions. The implementation of defensive programming practices including try-catch blocks around unmarshaling operations can help contain the effects of malformed inputs and prevent system-wide panics. Additionally, rate limiting and input size restrictions should be implemented to prevent abuse of the vulnerability through repeated exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing monitoring and alerting systems that can detect unusual patterns of unmarshaling failures or panic conditions that may indicate attempted exploitation. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques related to denial of service and resource exhaustion, specifically mapping to tactics such as T1499: Endpoint Denial of Service and T1566: Phishing with Malicious Attachments where malformed data could be delivered as part of phishing campaigns. The recommended approach includes updating affected libraries and frameworks to versions that contain patched unmarshaling implementations, implementing proper error handling procedures, and conducting thorough code reviews to identify other potential unmarshaling vulnerabilities throughout the application stack.