CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2022-44572NVD status: Modified

https://github.com/rack/rack: Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity

CVE-2022-44572 is a high-severity inefficient regular expression complexity vulnerability in https://github.com/rack/rack, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected https://github.com/rack/rack versions: 2.0.9.2, 2.1.4.2, 2.2.4.1, 3.0.0.1. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.62% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 76% of scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Rack to 2.0.9.2 or 2.1.4.2 or 2.2.4.1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. 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
Https://github.com/rack/rackhttps://github.com/rack/rack2.0.9.2, 2.1.4.2, 2.2.4.1, 3.0.0.1Not stated
RackRackbefore 2.0.9.2; 2.1.0 up to, but not including, 2.1.4.2; 2.2.0 up to, but not including, 2.2.4.12.0.9.2, 2.1.4.2, 2.2.4.1

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
NoneNothing can be modified.
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:N/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Official description

A denial of service vulnerability in the multipart parsing component of Rack fixed in 2.0.9.2, 2.1.4.2, 2.2.4.1 and 3.0.0.1 could allow an attacker tocraft input that can cause RFC2183 multipart boundary parsing in Rack to take an unexpected amount of time, possibly resulting in a denial of service attack vector. Any applications that parse multipart posts using Rack (virtually all Rails applications) are impacted.

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

The underlying weakness: Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity

The product uses a regular expression with a worst-case computational complexity that is inefficient and possibly exponential.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use regular expressions that do not support backtracking, e.g. by removing nested quantifiers.
  • Set backtracking limits in the configuration of the regular expression implementation, such as PHP's pcre.backtrack_limit. Also consider limits on execution time for the process.
  • Do not use regular expressions with untrusted input. If regular expressions must be used, avoid using backtracking in the expression.

More Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity vulnerabilities (CWE-1333)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Third-party and government advisories

Other vulnerabilities in https://github.com/rack/rack

All https://github.com/rack/rack vulnerabilities

Recent Inefficient Regular Expression Complexity vulnerabilities

Spotted an error? Tell us.