envoy: Use After Free
CVE-2024-39305 is a critical-severity use after free vulnerability in envoy from Envoyproxy, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 1.28.5, 1.29.7, 1.30.4 as the first without the flaw, so updating envoy to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.65% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 52% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Update envoy to 1.28.5 or 1.29.7 or 1.30.4 or 1.27.7, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Envoyproxy | envoy | >= 1.30.0, < 1.30.4; >= 1.29.0, < 1.29.7; >= 1.28.0, < 1.28.5; < 1.27.7; 1.28.0 up to, but not including, 1.28.5; 1.29.0 up to, but not including, 1.29.7; 1.30.0 up to, but not including, 1.30.4; before 1.27.7 | 1.28.5, 1.29.7, 1.30.4, 1.27.7 |
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
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- 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:H/I:N/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 6.5 | Medium | CNA (github.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 9.1 | Critical | NVD |
Official description
Envoy is a cloud-native, open source edge and service proxy. Prior to versions 1.30.4, 1.29.7, 1.28.5, and 1.27.7. Envoy references already freed memory when route hash policy is configured with cookie attributes. Note that this vulnerability has been fixed in the open as the effect would be immediately apparent if it was configured. Memory allocated for holding attribute values is freed after configuration was parsed. During request processing Envoy will attempt to copy content of de-allocated memory into request cookie header. This can lead to arbitrary content of Envoy's memory to be sent to the upstream service or abnormal process termination. This vulnerability is fixed in Envoy versions v1.30.4, v1.29.7, v1.28.5, and v1.27.7. As a workaround, do not use cookie attributes in route action hash policy.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Use After Free
The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory belongs to the code that operates on the new pointer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- When freeing pointers, be sure to set them to NULL once they are freed. However, the utilization of multiple or complex data structures may lower the usefulness of this strategy.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
- github.com/envoyproxy/envoy/commit/02a06681fbe0e039b1c7a9215257a7537eddb518
- github.com/envoyproxy/envoy/commit/50b384cb203a1f2894324cbae64b6d9bc44cce45
- github.com/envoyproxy/envoy/commit/99b6e525fb9f6f6f19a0425f779bc776f121c7e5
- github.com/envoyproxy/envoy/commit/b7f509607ad860fd6a63cde4f7d6f0197f9f63bb
Other vulnerabilities in envoy
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.4 High severity
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
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