CVE-2022-24675: Stack overflow in encoding/pem package

Background

The encoding/pem package is a part of the Go standard library (stdlib) and provides functions for encoding and decoding PEM data. PEM (Privacy Enhanced Mail) is a format for storing and transmitting cryptographic keys, certificates, and other sensitive data. The encoding/pem package is widely used in Go applications for handling PEM data.

Vulnerability Detail

The encoding/pem package in Go before version 1.17.9 and 1.18.x before 1.18.1 is vulnerable to a stack overflow when processing a large amount of PEM data. This vulnerability can be exploited by an attacker to cause a denial-of-service (DoS) condition or potentially execute arbitrary code. The issue arises due to improper handling of the input data, leading to a stack overflow.

go get stdlib@vgo1.25.5

Workaround

As a temporary workaround, developers can limit the size of the PEM data being processed by the encoding/pem package. By validating and restricting the input data size, the risk of triggering the stack overflow can be mitigated. Here is an example of how to limit the size of PEM data in Go:

import (
	"encoding/pem"
	"io"
	"io/ioutil"
)

func processPEMData(data []byte) error {
	const maxPEMSize = 1024 * 1024 // 1MB

	if len(data) > maxPEMSize {
		return fmt.Errorf("PEM data size exceeds the maximum allowed limit")
	}

	// Process the PEM data
	// ...

	return nil
}

Conclusion

In conclusion, the encoding/pem package in Go versions before 1.17.9 and 1.18.x before 1.18.1 is vulnerable to a stack overflow issue. This vulnerability can be mitigated by updating the Go installation to the patched versions or by applying a temporary workaround to limit the size of the processed PEM data. It is recommended to take immediate action to address this vulnerability and prevent any potential security breaches. For further support and assistance in vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.

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