Micronaut Framework is a JVM-based full stack Java framework designed for building modular, easily testable JVM applications. From 4.3.0 to before 4.10.22, TimeConverterRegistrar caches DateTimeFormatter instances in an unbounded ConcurrentHashMap<String, DateTimeFormatter> whose key is derived from the @Format annotation pattern concatenated with the locale from the HTTP Accept-Language header. Because Locale.forLanguageTag() accepts arbitrary BCP 47 private-use extensions (en-x-a001, en-x-a002, …), an unauthenticated attacker can generate an unlimited number of unique cache keys by sending requests with novel locale tags, growing the cache until heap memory is exhausted and the JVM crashes. This vulnerability is fixed in 4.10.22.
Weakness
The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.
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