CVE-2023-2253: Github.com/docker/distribution Distribution Catalog API Endpoint Can Vulnerability

{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-hqxw-f8mx-cpmw",
  "modified" : "2023-05-11T20:37:54Z",
  "published" : "2023-05-11T20:37:54Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2023-2253" ],
  "summary" : "distribution catalog API endpoint can lead to OOM via malicious user input",
  "details" : "### Impact\n\nSystems that run `distribution` built after a specific commit running on memory-restricted environments can suffer from denial of service by a crafted malicious `/v2/_catalog` API endpoint request. \n\n### Patches\n\nUpgrade to at least 2.8.2-beta.1 if you are running `v2.8.x` release. If you use the code from the main branch, update at least to the commit after [f55a6552b006a381d9167e328808565dd2bf77dc](https://github.com/distribution/distribution/commit/f55a6552b006a381d9167e328808565dd2bf77dc).\n\n### Workarounds\n\nThere is no way to work around this issue without patching. Restrict access to the affected API endpoint: see the recommendations section.\n\n### References\n\n`/v2/_catalog` endpoint accepts a parameter to control the maximum amount of records returned (query string: `n`).\n\nWhen not given the default `n=100` is used.  The server trusts that `n` has an acceptable value, however when using a \nmaliciously large value, it allocates an array/slice of `n` of strings before filling the slice with data.\n\nThis behaviour was introduced ~7yrs ago [1].\n\n### Recommendation\n\nThe `/v2/_catalog` endpoint was designed specifically to do registry syncs with search or other API systems. Such an endpoint would create a lot of load on the backend system, due to overfetch required to serve a request in certain implementations.\n\nBecause of this, we strongly recommend keeping this API endpoint behind heightened privilege and avoiding leaving it exposed to the internet.\n\n###  For more information\n\nIf you have any questions or comments about this advisory:\n* Open an issue in [distribution repository](https://github.com/distribution/distribution)\n* Email us at [cncf-distribution-security@lists.cncf.io](mailto:cncf-distribution-security@lists.cncf.io)\n\n[1] [faulty commit](https://github.com/distribution/distribution/blob/b7e26bac741c76cb792f8e14c41a2163b5dae8df/registry/handlers/catalog.go#L45)",
  "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" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/docker/distribution"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.8.2-beta.1"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/distribution/distribution/security/advisories/GHSA-hqxw-f8mx-cpmw"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-2253"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/distribution/distribution/commit/f55a6552b006a381d9167e328808565dd2bf77dc"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2189886"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/distribution/distribution"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/06/msg00035.html"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-475", "CWE-770" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2023-05-11T20:37:54Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2023-06-06T20:15:12Z"
  }
}