Skip to content

Broken encryption in EdgeX Foundry

Moderate severity GitHub Reviewed Published Nov 18, 2021 in edgexfoundry/app-functions-sdk-go • Updated Feb 1, 2023

Package

gomod github.com/edgexfoundry/app-functions-sdk-go (Go)

Affected versions

< 2.1.0

Patched versions

None
gomod github.com/edgexfoundry/app-functions-sdk-go/v2 (Go)
< 2.1.0
2.1.0
gomod github.com/edgexfoundry/app-service-configurable (Go)
< 2.1.0
2.1.0

Description

Summary

Broken encryption in app-functions-sdk “AES” transform in EdgeX Foundry releases prior to Jakarta allows attackers to decrypt messages via unspecified vectors.

Detailed Description

The app-functions-sdk exports an “aes” transform that user scripts can optionally call to encrypt data in the processing pipeline. No decrypt function is provided. Encryption is not enabled by default, but if used, the level of protection may be less than the user may expects due to a broken implementation in https://github.com/edgexfoundry/app-functions-sdk-go/blob/v1.0.0/pkg/transforms/encryption.go

Version v2.1.0 (EdgeX Foundry Jakarta release and later) of app-functions-sdk-go/v2 deprecates the “aes” transform and provides an improved “aes256” transform in its place. The broken implementation will remain in a deprecated state until it is removed in the next EdgeX major release to avoid breakage of existing software that depends on the broken implementation.

Impact

As the broken transform is a library function that is not invoked by default, users who do not use the AES transform in their processing pipelines are unaffected. Those that are affected are urged to upgrade to the Jakarta EdgeX release and modify processing pipelines to use the new "aes256" transform.

Vulnerable go modules

  • github.com/edgexfoundry/app-functions-sdk-go < v2.1.0
  • github.com/edgexfoundry/app-functions-sdk-go/v2 < v2.1.0
  • github.com/edgexfoundry/app-service-configurable < v2.1.0

Vulnerable containers

Vulnerable Snaps

Patches

Upgrade to 2.1.0 version of app-functions-sdk-go/v2, app-service-configurable, and related docker containers shown below and modify user scripts to use the new "aes256" transform in place of the existing "aes" transform.

Patched go modules

  • github.com/edgexfoundry/app-functions-sdk-go/v2 v2.1.0
  • github.com/edgexfoundry/app-service-configurable v2.1.0

Modification of user scripts is necessary for full remediation.

Patched containers

Modification of user scripts is necessary for full remediation.

Patched Snaps

Modification of user scripts is necessary for full remediation.

Workarounds

If unable to upgrade, change the processing pipeline to use an HTTPS (TLS 1.3) endpoint to export and skip encryption.

References

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

References

Reviewed Nov 18, 2021
Published by the National Vulnerability Database Nov 19, 2021
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Nov 19, 2021
Last updated Feb 1, 2023

Severity

Moderate

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
High
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
Low
Availability
None

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N

EPSS score

0.063%
(28th percentile)

Weaknesses

CVE ID

CVE-2021-41278

GHSA ID

GHSA-6c7m-qwxj-mvhp

Credits

Loading Checking history
See something to contribute? Suggest improvements for this vulnerability.