CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2022-39368NVD status: Modified

californium: Improper Resource Shutdown or Release

CVE-2022-39368 is a high-severity improper resource shutdown or release vulnerability in californium from Eclipse-californium, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.2 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected californium versions: >= 2.7.0, < 2.7.4; >= 3.0.0, < 3.7.0. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.73% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 55% of scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Check which version of californium you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
  3. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Eclipse-californiumcalifornium>= 2.7.0, < 2.7.4; >= 3.0.0, < 3.7.0Not stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
NoneNo data is disclosed.
Integrity
LowLimited modification of data is possible.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.18.2HighCNA (github.com)
CVSS 3.18.2HighNVD

Official description

Eclipse Californium is a Java implementation of RFC7252 - Constrained Application Protocol for IoT Cloud services. In versions prior to 3.7.0, and 2.7.4, Californium is vulnerable to a Denial of Service. Failing handshakes don't cleanup counters for throttling, causing the threshold to be reached without being released again. This results in permanently dropping records. The issue was reported for certificate based handshakes, but may also affect PSK based handshakes. It generally affects client and server as well. This issue is patched in version 3.7.0 and 2.7.4. There are no known workarounds. main: commit 726bac57659410da463dcf404b3e79a7312ac0b9 2.7.x: commit 5648a0c27c2c2667c98419254557a14bac2b1f3f

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Improper Resource Shutdown or Release

The product does not release or incorrectly releases a resource before it is made available for re-use.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, languages such as Java, Ruby, and Lisp perform automatic garbage collection that releases memory for objects that have been deallocated.
  • It is good practice to be responsible for freeing all resources you allocate and to be consistent with how and where you free memory in a function. If you allocate memory that you intend to free upon completion of the function, you must be sure to free the memory at all exit points for that function including error conditions.
  • Memory should be allocated/freed using matching functions such as malloc/free, new/delete, and new[]/delete[].

More Improper Resource Shutdown or Release vulnerabilities (CWE-404)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Improper Resource Shutdown or Release vulnerabilities

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