CVE-2022-47085 in ostree
Summary
by MITRE • 07/18/2023
An issue was discovered in ostree before 2022.7 allows attackers to cause a denial of service or other unspecified impacts via the print_panic function in repo_checkout_filter.rs.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/09/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-47085 resides within the ostree version control system, specifically affecting releases prior to version 2022.7. This issue manifests through a critical flaw in the print_panic function located within the repo_checkout_filter.rs file, representing a fundamental weakness in the system's error handling and resource management capabilities. The ostree project serves as a sophisticated tool for managing operating system deployments and maintaining consistent system states across multiple environments, making its stability paramount for enterprise and infrastructure security.
The technical flaw stems from improper handling of panic conditions within the repository checkout filtering mechanism, which processes file operations during system updates and deployments. When the print_panic function encounters exceptional circumstances during repository operations, it fails to properly terminate or recover from these conditions, potentially leading to resource exhaustion or system instability. This vulnerability operates at the intersection of software reliability and security, where the failure to gracefully handle exceptional conditions creates opportunities for attackers to exploit the system's weakness. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-401, which addresses improper handling of exceptional conditions in software systems, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001 for network denial of service attacks through resource exhaustion.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the integrity of system deployments and updates. Attackers could leverage this weakness to cause sustained denial of service conditions, preventing legitimate system updates or modifications from completing successfully. This creates a scenario where critical security patches or configuration changes cannot be applied, leaving systems vulnerable to other attacks while simultaneously disrupting normal operational procedures. The vulnerability particularly affects environments that rely heavily on ostree for managing large-scale deployments, including containerized environments, enterprise Linux distributions, and automated deployment systems where continuous integration and delivery pipelines depend on stable repository operations.
Mitigation strategies should prioritize immediate upgrade to ostree version 2022.7 or later, which contains the patched implementation of the print_panic function and associated repository checkout filtering mechanisms. Organizations should also implement monitoring solutions that track repository checkout operations and panic conditions to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additional defensive measures include implementing resource limits on repository operations, establishing proper logging and alerting for abnormal panic conditions, and conducting regular security assessments of deployment pipelines that utilize ostree. The fix addresses the underlying issue by ensuring proper cleanup and termination procedures during exceptional conditions, preventing resource leaks and maintaining system stability during both normal operations and error scenarios.