CVE-2024-22271 in Spring Cloud Function Framework
Summary
by MITRE • 07/09/2024
In Spring Cloud Function framework, versions 4.1.x prior to 4.1.2, 4.0.x prior to 4.0.8 an application is vulnerable to a DOS attack when attempting to compose functions with non-existing functions.
Specifically, an application is vulnerable when all of the following are true:
User is using Spring Cloud Function Web module
Affected Spring Products and Versions Spring Cloud Function Framework 4.1.0 to 4.1.2 4.0.0 to 4.0.8
References https://spring.io/security/cve-2022-22979 https://checkmarx.com/blog/spring-function-cloud-dos-cve-2022-22979-and-unintended-function-invocation/ History 2020-01-16: Initial vulnerability report published.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/09/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2024-22271 represents a denial of service weakness within the Spring Cloud Function framework that affects specific version ranges of the software. This issue stems from how the framework handles function composition operations when attempting to reference functions that do not exist within the application's deployment. The vulnerability specifically impacts applications utilizing the Spring Cloud Function Web module, where the framework's inability to properly validate function references during composition leads to system instability and potential service disruption.
The technical flaw manifests in the framework's handling of function composition logic where it fails to implement proper validation mechanisms for function references. When an application attempts to compose functions and specifies references to non-existent functions, the system does not gracefully handle this scenario but instead enters a state that results in denial of service conditions. This behavior falls under CWE-400 which categorizes improper handling of resource exhaustion conditions, and more specifically aligns with CWE-399 which deals with resource management errors. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through simple user input or configuration parameters that reference functions that have been removed, renamed, or are otherwise unavailable in the runtime environment.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability exposes applications to potential disruption of service availability and can be exploited by malicious actors to cause system downtime. The attack surface is particularly relevant for applications that dynamically compose functions or rely on external configuration to determine function references. The vulnerability can be leveraged as part of a broader attack strategy that aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks. Organizations running affected versions may experience complete service unavailability when the vulnerability is exploited, as the framework enters a state where it cannot properly process subsequent requests or maintain normal operational functionality.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to the patched versions of Spring Cloud Function Framework, specifically version 4.1.2 for the 4.1.x series and 4.0.8 for the 4.0.x series. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures such as validating function references at configuration time, implementing proper error handling for function composition operations, and monitoring for unusual patterns of function invocation attempts. Security teams should consider implementing network-level controls to limit access to function composition endpoints and establish logging mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and error handling in distributed application frameworks, particularly those that handle dynamic function composition and invocation patterns. Organizations should also review their deployment configurations to ensure that function references are properly validated before being processed by the framework, and consider implementing circuit breaker patterns to prevent cascading failures when function resolution fails.