CVE-2022-1473: Openssl src Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-g323-fr93-4j3c
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CVSS 7.5
CWE-404 CWE-459
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2022-1473 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) remote code execution vulnerability (CWE-404: Improper Resource Shutdown or Release) affecting Openssl src libraries in the crates.io ecosystem. The issue involves resource leakage when decoding certificates and keys. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 300.0.6.

CVE-2022-1473 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2022-1473
GHSA Identifier GHSA-g323-fr93-4j3c
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-404: Improper Resource Shutdown or Release
Affected Product Openssl src
Package Ecosystem crates.io
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.5

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2022-1473

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Openssl src dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

openssl-src fixed: 300.0.6 
Upgrade openssl-src to 300.0.6
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

inspect dependencies for openssl-src

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2022-1473, inspect your project dependencies for Openssl src:

inspect dependencies for openssl-src

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Openssl src in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 300.0.6), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-404: Improper Resource Shutdown or Release, where the product does not release or incorrectly releases a resource before it is made available for re-use. In Openssl src, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

The OPENSSL_LH_flush() function, which empties a hash table, contains a bug that breaks reuse of the memory occuppied by the removed hash table entries. This function is used when decoding certificates or keys. If a long lived process periodically decodes certificates or keys its memory usage will expand without bounds and the process might be terminated by the operating system causing a denial of service. Also traversing the empty hash table entries will take increasingly more time. Typically such long lived processes might be TLS clients or TLS servers configured to accept client certificate authentication. The function was added in the OpenSSL 3.0 version thus older releases are not affected by the issue. Fixed in OpenSSL 3.0.3 (Affected 3.0.0,3.0.1,3.0.2).

CVE-2022-1473 Affected Openssl src Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
300.0.6
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
openssl-src
 crates.io
≥ 300.0.0
< 300.0.6
300.0.6

References

NVD — CVE-2022-1473 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-1473
Openssl src Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/github/advisory-database/issues/405
cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa... WEB
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-953464.pdf
git.openssl.org/gitweb/ WEB
https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=64c85430f95200b6b51fe9475bd5203f7c19daf1
rustsec.org/advisories/rustsec-... WEB
https://rustsec.org/advisories/RUSTSEC-2022-0025.html
Openssl src Security Information SECURITY
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202210-02
Openssl src Security Information SECURITY
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20220602-0009
www.openssl.org/news/secadv/2022050... WEB
https://www.openssl.org/news/secadv/20220503.txt

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-1473?
CVE-2022-1473 is a security vulnerability in Openssl src involving Resource leakage when decoding certificates and keys under CWE-404: Improper Resource Shutdown or Release.
Which Openssl src versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 300.0.6 across affected packages: openssl-src.
What version fixes CVE-2022-1473?
Upgrading to 300.0.6 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is openssl-src affected?
Yes, openssl-src is affected in releases prior to 300.0.6. Upgrade your dependency to 300.0.6 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2022-1473?
CVE-2022-1473 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2022-1473?
CVE-2022-1473 is classified under CWE-404: Improper Resource Shutdown or Release (The product does not release or incorrectly releases a resource before it is made available for re-use.).
How can I check crates.io dependencies for CVE-2022-1473?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for openssl-src'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-g323-fr93-4j3c",
  "modified" : "2022-06-17T00:05:28Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-04T00:00:22Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2022-1473" ],
  "summary" : "Resource leakage when decoding certificates and keys",
  "details" : "The OPENSSL_LH_flush() function, which empties a hash table, contains a bug that breaks reuse of the memory occuppied by the removed hash table entries. This function is used when decoding certificates or keys. If a long lived process periodically decodes certificates or keys its memory usage will expand without bounds and the process might be terminated by the operating system causing a denial of service. Also traversing the empty hash table entries will take increasingly more time. Typically such long lived processes might be TLS clients or TLS servers configured to accept client certificate authentication. The function was added in the OpenSSL 3.0 version thus older releases are not affected by the issue. Fixed in OpenSSL 3.0.3 (Affected 3.0.0,3.0.1,3.0.2).",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "crates.io",
      "name" : "openssl-src"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "300.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "300.0.6"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-1473"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/github/advisory-database/issues/405"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-953464.pdf"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://git.openssl.org/gitweb/?p=openssl.git;a=commitdiff;h=64c85430f95200b6b51fe9475bd5203f7c19daf1"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://rustsec.org/advisories/RUSTSEC-2022-0025.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202210-02"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20220602-0009"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.openssl.org/news/secadv/20220503.txt"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-404", "CWE-459" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2022-06-17T00:05:28Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2022-05-03T16:15:00Z"
  }
}