A newly discovered vulnerability in Apache Tomcat, specifically identified as CVE-2024-38286, has exposed users to a potential allocation of resources without limits or throttling issue. This security flaw can be exploited by attackers to cause an OutOfMemoryError due to the abuse of the TLS handshake process. The vulnerability affects a range of Apache Tomcat versions across different platforms.

Exploit Details

The vulnerability lies in the allocation of resources during the TLS handshake process. An attacker, under certain configurations, can exploit this issue to cause an OutOfMemoryError. The code snippet below demonstrates how this can be executed:

// Function performing resource allocation during the TLS handshake process
private void allocateResources() {
    // Resource allocation without limits or throttling
    ...
}

To mitigate this vulnerability, users should apply the available security patches and ensure their system runs the latest versions of Apache Tomcat. Upgrading to the fixed versions mentioned earlier will address this issue.

For more information and original references, please consult the following resources

1. Apache Tomcat - http://tomcat.apache.org
2. Apache Tomcat Security Advisory - https://tomcat.apache.org/security.html
3. CVE-2024-38286 Details - https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2024-38286

Conclusion

The allocation of resources without limits or throttling vulnerability in Apache Tomcat (CVE-2024-38286) poses a significant security risk to users who run the affected versions of the software. It is crucial to immediately upgrade to the fixed versions to mitigate the potential negative impact. Furthermore, users should continuously monitor and apply security best practices and updates to ensure the protection of their systems and data.

Timeline

Published on: 11/07/2024 08:15:13 UTC
Last modified on: 11/08/2024 19:01:03 UTC