Prometheus is an open-source monitoring system and time series database. Prior to versions 3.5.3 and 3.11.3, the remote read endpoint (/api/v1/read) does not validate the declared decoded length in a snappy-compressed request body before allocating memory. An unauthenticated attacker can send a small payload that causes a huge heap allocation per request. Under concurrent load this can exhaust available memory and crash the Prometheus process. This issue has been patched in versions 3.5.3 and 3.11.3.
Weakness
The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.
Affected Software
| Name | Vendor | Start Version | End Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prometheus | Prometheus | * | 3.5.3 (excluding) |
| Prometheus | Prometheus | 3.6.0 (including) | 3.11.3 (excluding) |
| Prometheus | Ubuntu | esm-apps/xenial | * |
Potential Mitigations
Mitigation of resource exhaustion attacks requires that the target system either:
The first of these solutions is an issue in itself though, since it may allow attackers to prevent the use of the system by a particular valid user. If the attacker impersonates the valid user, they may be able to prevent the user from accessing the server in question.
The second solution is simply difficult to effectively institute – and even when properly done, it does not provide a full solution. It simply makes the attack require more resources on the part of the attacker.
Related Attack Patterns
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/147.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/227.html
- https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/492.html
References
- https://github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pull/18584
- https://github.com/prometheus/prometheus/pull/18585
- https://github.com/prometheus/prometheus/releases/tag/v3.11.3
- https://github.com/prometheus/prometheus/releases/tag/v3.5.3
- https://github.com/prometheus/prometheus/security/advisories/GHSA-8rm2-7qqf-34qm