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protobuf-java has a potential Denial of Service issue

Moderate severity GitHub Reviewed Published Oct 4, 2022 in protocolbuffers/protobuf • Updated Apr 27, 2023

Package

maven com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java (Maven)

Affected versions

>= 3.21.0-rc-1, < 3.21.7
>= 3.20.0-rc-1, < 3.20.3
>= 3.17.0-rc-1, < 3.19.6
< 3.16.3

Patched versions

3.21.7
3.20.3
3.19.6
3.16.3
maven com.google.protobuf:protobuf-javalite (Maven)
>= 3.21.0-rc-1, < 3.21.7
>= 3.20.0-rc-1, < 3.20.3
>= 3.17.0-rc-1, < 3.19.6
< 3.16.3
3.21.7
3.20.3
3.19.6
3.16.3
maven com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin (Maven)
>= 3.21.0-rc-1, < 3.21.7
>= 3.20.0-rc-1, < 3.20.3
>= 3.17.0-rc-1, < 3.19.6
< 3.16.3
3.21.7
3.20.3
3.19.6
3.16.3
maven com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin-lite (Maven)
>= 3.21.0-rc-1, < 3.21.7
>= 3.20.0-rc-1, < 3.20.3
>= 3.17.0-rc-1, < 3.19.6
< 3.16.3
3.21.7
3.20.3
3.19.6
3.16.3
bundler google-protobuf (RubyGems)
>= 3.21.0.rc.1, < 3.21.7
>= 3.20.0.rc.1, < 3.20.3
>= 3.17.0.rc.1, < 3.19.6
< 3.16.3
3.21.7
3.20.3
3.19.6
3.16.3

Description

Summary

A potential Denial of Service issue in protobuf-java core and lite was discovered in the parsing procedure for binary and text format data. Input streams containing multiple instances of non-repeated embedded messages with repeated or unknown fields causes objects to be converted back-n-forth between mutable and immutable forms, resulting in potentially long garbage collection pauses.

Reporter: OSS Fuzz

Affected versions: This issue affects both the Java full and lite Protobuf runtimes, as well as Protobuf for Kotlin and JRuby, which themselves use the Java Protobuf runtime.

Severity

CVE-2022-3171 Medium - CVSS Score: 5.7 (NOTE: there may be a delay in publication)

Remediation and Mitigation

Please update to the latest available versions of the following packages:

protobuf-java (3.21.7, 3.20.3, 3.19.6, 3.16.3)
protobuf-javalite (3.21.7, 3.20.3, 3.19.6, 3.16.3)
protobuf-kotlin (3.21.7, 3.20.3, 3.19.6, 3.16.3)
protobuf-kotlin-lite (3.21.7, 3.20.3, 3.19.6, 3.16.3)
google-protobuf [JRuby gem only] (3.21.7, 3.20.3, 3.19.6)

References

@devjgm devjgm published to protocolbuffers/protobuf Oct 4, 2022
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Oct 4, 2022
Reviewed Oct 4, 2022
Published by the National Vulnerability Database Oct 12, 2022
Last updated Apr 27, 2023

Severity

Moderate

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Adjacent
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

EPSS score

0.076%
(34th percentile)

Weaknesses

CVE ID

CVE-2022-3171

GHSA ID

GHSA-h4h5-3hr4-j3g2

Source code

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