7.5
CWE
190 119 400
Advisory Published
Advisory Published
Updated

CVE-2023-36478: HTTP/2 HPACK integer overflow and buffer allocation

First published: Tue Oct 10 2023(Updated: )

An integer overflow in `MetaDataBuilder.checkSize` allows for HTTP/2 HPACK header values to exceed their size limit. In `MetaDataBuilder.java`, the following code determines if a header name or value exceeds the size limit, and throws an exception if the limit is exceeded: ```java 291 public void checkSize(int length, boolean huffman) throws SessionException 292 { 293 // Apply a huffman fudge factor 294 if (huffman) 295 length = (length * 4) / 3; 296 if ((_size + length) > _maxSize) 297 throw new HpackException.SessionException("Header too large %d > %d", _size + length, _maxSize); 298 } ``` However, when length is very large and huffman is true, the multiplication by 4 in line 295 will overflow, and length will become negative. (_size+length) will now be negative, and the check on line 296 will not be triggered. Furthermore, `MetaDataBuilder.checkSize` allows for user-entered HPACK header value sizes to be negative, potentially leading to a very large buffer allocation later on when the user-entered size is multiplied by 2. In `MetaDataBuilder.java`, the following code determines if a header name or value exceeds the size limit, and throws an exception if the limit is exceeded: ```java public void checkSize(int length, boolean huffman) throws SessionException { // Apply a huffman fudge factor if (huffman) length = (length * 4) / 3; if ((_size + length) > _maxSize) throw new HpackException.SessionException("Header too large %d > %d", _size + length, _maxSize); } ``` However, no exception is thrown in the case of a negative size. Later, in `Huffman.decode`, the user-entered length is multiplied by 2 before allocating a buffer: ```java public static String decode(ByteBuffer buffer, int length) throws HpackException.CompressionException { Utf8StringBuilder utf8 = new Utf8StringBuilder(length * 2); // ... ``` This means that if a user provides a negative length value (or, more precisely, a length value which, when multiplied by the 4/3 fudge factor, is negative), and this length value is a very large positive number when multiplied by 2, then the user can cause a very large buffer to be allocated on the server. ### Exploit Scenario 1 An attacker repeatedly sends HTTP messages with the HPACK header 0x00ffffffffff02. Each time this header is decoded: + `HpackDecode.decode` will determine that a Huffman-coded value of length 805306494 needs to be decoded. + `MetaDataBuilder.checkSize` will approve this length. + Huffman.decode will allocate a 1.6 GB string array. + Huffman.decode will have a buffer overflow error, and the array will be deallocated the next time garbage collection happens. (Note: this can be delayed by appending valid huffman-coded characters to the end of the header.) Depending on the timing of garbage collection, the number of threads, and the amount of memory available on the server, this may cause the server to run out of memory. ### Exploit Scenario 2 An attacker repeatedly sends HTTP messages with the HPACK header 0x00ff8080ffff0b. Each time this header is decoded: + HpackDecode.decode will determine that a Huffman-coded value of length -1073758081 needs to be decoded + MetaDataBuilder.checkSize will approve this length + The number will be multiplied by 2 to get 2147451134, and Huffman.decode will allocate a 2.1 GB string array + Huffman.decode will have a buffer overflow error, and the array will be deallocated the next time garbage collection happens (Note that this deallocation can be delayed by adding valid Huffman-coded characters to the end of the header) Depending on the timing of garbage collection, the number of threads, and the amount of memory available on the server, this may cause the server to run out of memory. ### Impact Users of HTTP/2 can be impacted by a remote denial of service attack. ### Patches Fixed in Jetty 10.0.16 and Jetty 11.0.16 Fixed in Jetty 9.4.53 Jetty 12.x is unaffected. ### Workarounds No workarounds possible, only patched versions of Jetty. ### References * https://github.com/eclipse/jetty.project/pull/9634

Credit: security-advisories@github.com security-advisories@github.com security-advisories@github.com

Affected SoftwareAffected VersionHow to fix
debian/jetty9<=9.4.16-0+deb10u1<=9.4.39-3+deb11u2
9.4.50-4+deb10u1
9.4.50-4+deb11u1
9.4.50-4+deb12u2
9.4.53-1
maven/org.eclipse.jetty.http2:http2-hpack>=9.3.0<=9.4.52
9.4.53
maven/org.eclipse.jetty.http3:http3-qpack>=11.0.0<=11.0.15
11.0.16
maven/org.eclipse.jetty.http3:http3-qpack>=10.0.0<=10.0.15
10.0.16
maven/org.eclipse.jetty.http2:http2-hpack>=11.0.0<=11.0.15
11.0.16
maven/org.eclipse.jetty.http2:http2-hpack>=10.0.0<=10.0.15
10.0.16
redhat/http2-hpack<10.0.16
10.0.16
redhat/http2-hpack<11.0.16
11.0.16
redhat/http2-hpack<9.4.53
9.4.53
redhat/http3-qpack<10.0.16
10.0.16
redhat/http3-qpack<11.0.161
11.0.161
IBM IBM® Db2® on Cloud Pak for Data and Db2 Warehouse on Cloud Pak for Data<=v3.5 through refresh 10v4.0 through refresh 9v4.5 through refresh 3v4.6 through refresh 6v4.7 through refresh 4v4.8 through refresh 4
Eclipse Jetty>=9.3.0<9.4.53
Eclipse Jetty>=10.0.0<10.0.16
Eclipse Jetty>=11.0.0<11.0.16
Jenkins Jenkins<2.414.3
Jenkins Jenkins<2.428
Debian Debian Linux=10.0
Debian Debian Linux=11.0
Debian Debian Linux=12.0
>=9.3.0<9.4.53
>=10.0.0<10.0.16
>=11.0.0<11.0.16
<2.414.3
<2.428
=10.0
=11.0
=12.0

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Parent vulnerabilities

(Appears in the following advisories)

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is CVE-2023-36478?

    CVE-2023-36478 is a vulnerability in Eclipse Jetty web server and servlet container that allows HTTP/2 HPACK header values to exceed their size limit, leading to an integer overflow in MetaDataBuilder.checkSize.

  • What is the severity of CVE-2023-36478?

    CVE-2023-36478 has a severity rating of 7.5 (High).

  • How does CVE-2023-36478 impact the affected software?

    CVE-2023-36478 can allow an attacker to exceed the size limit of HTTP/2 HPACK header values in the affected versions of Eclipse Jetty.

  • How can I fix CVE-2023-36478?

    To fix CVE-2023-36478, upgrade to version 9.4.53 or higher for org.eclipse.jetty:jetty-http and org.eclipse.jetty.http2:http2-hpack, or upgrade to version 11.0.16 or higher for org.eclipse.jetty.http3:http3-qpack and org.eclipse.jetty:jetty-http.

  • Where can I find more information about CVE-2023-36478?

    You can find more information about CVE-2023-36478 at the following references: [GitHub Pull Request](https://github.com/eclipse/jetty.project/pull/9634), [Jetty 10.0.16 Release](https://github.com/eclipse/jetty.project/releases/tag/jetty-10.0.16), [Jetty 11.0.16 Release](https://github.com/eclipse/jetty.project/releases/tag/jetty-11.0.16).

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