CVE-2023-3894 in jackson-dataformats-text
Summary
by MITRE • 08/08/2023
Those using jackson-dataformats-text to parse TOML data may be vulnerable to Denial of Service attacks (DOS). If the parser is running on user supplied input, an attacker may supply content that causes the parser to crash by stackoverflow. This effect may support a denial of service attack.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-3894 affects the jackson-dataformats-text library when processing TOML (Tom's Obvious Minimal Language) formatted data. This issue represents a critical security concern for applications that rely on Jackson's text format parsing capabilities, particularly those handling untrusted user input. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management within the TOML parser implementation, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system through carefully crafted input sequences. The affected component specifically processes TOML data structures that may contain deeply nested or recursive elements, which when parsed without proper safeguards can lead to excessive stack consumption.
The technical flaw manifests as a stack overflow condition that occurs during the parsing process of malformed TOML content. When the parser encounters specific patterns in user-supplied input, it recursively processes nested structures that eventually exhaust the available stack memory. This recursive parsing behavior, combined with inadequate stack depth limits, allows an attacker to craft input that triggers the overflow condition. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-770, which addresses allocation of resources without reasonable limits, and represents a classic example of a stack-based buffer overflow scenario. The parser's recursive descent approach to handling TOML structures creates an ideal environment for attackers to exploit the lack of proper recursion depth checking.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise system availability and stability. An attacker can leverage this weakness to execute denial of service attacks against applications that utilize the affected library, causing the parser to crash and terminate the application process. This type of attack can be particularly devastating in web applications, APIs, or services that process user-generated TOML content, as it can render the entire system unavailable to legitimate users. The attack vector is straightforward and requires minimal sophistication, making it an attractive target for malicious actors seeking to disrupt service availability. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1499 category for network denial of service attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-3894 should focus on immediate patching of the affected library to the latest secure version that addresses the stack overflow vulnerability. Organizations should implement input validation and sanitization measures that limit the complexity and depth of TOML structures processed by the parser. Additionally, runtime monitoring and resource limiting should be deployed to detect and prevent excessive stack consumption during parsing operations. The implementation of proper recursion depth limits within the parser configuration can provide an additional layer of protection. Security teams should also consider implementing application-level firewalls or API gateways that can filter suspicious input patterns before they reach the vulnerable parsing components, thereby reducing the attack surface and providing defense-in-depth protection against similar vulnerabilities.