CVE-2024-36121: netty-incubator-codec-ohttp's BoringSSLAEADContext Repeats Nonces
Summary BoringSSLAEADContext keeps track of how many OHTTP responses have been sent and uses this sequence number to calculate the appropriate nonce to use with the encryption algorithm. Unfortunately, two separate errors combine which would allow an attacker to cause the sequence number to overflow and thus the nonce to repeat.
Details 1. There is no overflow detection or enforcement of the maximum sequence value. (This is a missed requirement from the draft Chunked Oblivious OHTTP RFC and so should be inherited from the HPKE RFC 9180, Section 5.2). 2. The sequence number (seq) is stored as 32-bit int which is relatively easy to overflow.
https://github.com/netty/netty-incubator-codec-ohttp/blob/1ddadb6473cd3be5491d114431ed4c1a9f316001/codec-ohttp-hpke-classes-boringssl/src/main/java/io/netty/incubator/codec/hpke/boringssl/BoringSSLAEADContext.java#L112-L114
Impact If the BoringSSLAEADContext is used to encrypt more than 2^32 messages then the AES-GCM nonce will repeat. Repeating a nonce with AES-GCM results in both confidentiality and integrity compromise of data encrypted with the associated key.
Other sources
netty-incubator-codec-ohttp is the OHTTP implementation for netty. BoringSSLAEADContext keeps track of how many OHTTP responses have been sent and uses this sequence number to calculate the appropriate nonce to use with the encryption algorithm. Unfortunately, two separate errors combine which would allow an attacker to cause the sequence number to overflow and thus the nonce to repeat.
— MITRE
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2024-36121?
CVE-2024-36121 has been rated as high severity due to its potential impact on the confidentiality and integrity of data transmitted using OHTTP.
How do I fix CVE-2024-36121?
To mitigate CVE-2024-36121, update the netty-incubator-codec-ohttp package to version 0.0.11.Final or later.
Which versions of netty-incubator-codec-ohttp are affected by CVE-2024-36121?
CVE-2024-36121 affects netty-incubator-codec-ohttp versions from 0.0.3.Final up to, but not including, 0.0.11.Final.
What impact does CVE-2024-36121 have on application security?
CVE-2024-36121 can allow attackers to exploit vulnerabilities in OHTTP responses, potentially compromising data during transmission.
Is CVE-2024-36121 related to any specific software component?
Yes, CVE-2024-36121 is specifically related to the BoringSSLAEADContext within the netty-incubator-codec-ohttp component.