Memory Allocation Vulnerability in Mosquitto: CVE-2023-0809
Summary
ALPINE-CVE-2023-0809: In Mosquitto before 2.0.16, excessive memory is allocated based on malicious initial packets that are not CONNECT packets. Affects mosquitto versions < 2.0.16-r0. Fixed in 2.0.16-r0. How to fix ↓
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Background
Mosquitto is an open-source message broker that implements the MQTT protocol, widely used for IoT applications. It facilitates lightweight messaging between devices, making it ideal for low-bandwidth, high-latency networks. The package is known for its efficiency and scalability, but it has recently been identified to have a vulnerability that can lead to excessive memory allocation based on malicious input.
Vulnerability Detail
In Mosquitto versions prior to 2.0.16, a vulnerability exists where excessive memory is allocated when the broker receives initial packets that are not CONNECT packets. This can be exploited by attackers to cause denial of service by exhausting memory resources, potentially leading to application crashes or degraded performance. The vulnerability is classified under CVE-2023-0809 and has a CVSS score of 5.3, indicating a moderate severity level.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
2.0.16-r0
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo apk add --upgrade mosquittoTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary measure, you can implement input validation to ensure that only valid CONNECT packets are processed by the Mosquitto broker, thereby mitigating the risk of memory exhaustion from malicious packets.
Conclusion
The Mosquitto vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-0809 poses a significant risk due to excessive memory allocation from malicious packets. It is crucial to update to version 2.0.16-r0 or later to mitigate this risk. Implementing input validation can serve as a temporary workaround while ensuring the reliability of your messaging system.
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FAQ
CVE-2023-0809 is a vulnerability in Mosquitto that allows excessive memory allocation based on malicious initial packets, potentially leading to denial of service.
You can check your Mosquitto version and compare it with the patched version 2.0.16-r0. Additionally, you can use the Vulert playground to monitor for vulnerabilities.
Failure to address this vulnerability may result in application crashes or degraded performance due to memory exhaustion, impacting the reliability of your messaging system.
Yes, implementing input validation to restrict the types of packets processed can serve as a temporary workaround until the update is applied.
Vulert is a tool that monitors and alerts for open-source vulnerabilities in your software using a manifest file. You can check for vulnerabilities in your application without requiring installation or signup.
References
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for mosquitto.
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