CVE-2022-2048 Overview
CVE-2022-2048 is a Denial of Service vulnerability in the Eclipse Jetty HTTP/2 server implementation. When the server encounters an invalid HTTP/2 request, the error handling mechanism contains a bug that fails to properly clean up active connections and associated resources. This improper resource management can lead to resource exhaustion, eventually leaving insufficient resources to process legitimate requests.
Critical Impact
Attackers can exhaust server resources by sending malformed HTTP/2 requests, causing service unavailability for legitimate users and potentially disrupting business-critical applications that rely on Jetty-based services.
Affected Products
- Eclipse Jetty (multiple versions)
- Debian Linux 10.0 and 11.0
- NetApp Element Plug-in for vCenter Server
- NetApp Management Services for Element Software and NetApp HCI
- NetApp SnapCenter
- NetApp SolidFire & HCI Storage Node
- NetApp HCI Compute Node
- Jenkins (including LTS versions)
Discovery Timeline
- 2022-07-07 - CVE-2022-2048 published to NVD
- 2024-11-21 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2022-2048
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability is classified under CWE-410 (Insufficient Resource Pool), indicating a fundamental flaw in how the Jetty HTTP/2 server manages its connection pool and associated resources. When the server receives a malformed HTTP/2 request, the error handling code path does not execute the necessary cleanup routines for the connection resources.
The HTTP/2 protocol maintains persistent connections with multiple streams, making proper connection lifecycle management critical. When error handling fails to release these resources, each malicious request consumes server capacity without eventual release, creating a classic resource exhaustion scenario.
Root Cause
The root cause lies in the error handling code path within Jetty's HTTP/2 implementation. When processing an invalid HTTP/2 request triggers an exception or error condition, the code fails to properly invoke the connection cleanup logic. This results in connection objects and their associated resources (memory buffers, file descriptors, stream state) remaining allocated despite the connection being non-functional.
Over time, as more invalid requests are processed, the cumulative effect depletes the available resource pool, preventing the server from accepting or processing new legitimate connections.
Attack Vector
The attack is network-based and requires no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can remotely target any Jetty server with HTTP/2 enabled by sending specially crafted invalid HTTP/2 frames or requests. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because:
- HTTP/2 servers are typically internet-facing
- No authentication is required to trigger the vulnerability
- The attack can be automated and scaled
- Recovery requires service restart or waiting for resource timeouts
The attack involves sending malformed HTTP/2 requests that trigger the vulnerable error handling path. Each request leaks server resources until the connection pool is exhausted and the server can no longer accept new connections.
Detection Methods for CVE-2022-2048
Indicators of Compromise
- Unusual increase in HTTP/2 connection errors in server logs
- Growing number of connections in error states that are not being cleaned up
- Server memory utilization steadily increasing without corresponding legitimate traffic growth
- Connection pool exhaustion warnings or errors in Jetty logs
Detection Strategies
- Monitor Jetty server logs for patterns of invalid HTTP/2 request errors followed by resource exhaustion messages
- Implement connection tracking to identify sources sending high volumes of malformed HTTP/2 frames
- Set up alerting on connection pool metrics that show abnormal growth trends
- Use network intrusion detection systems to identify malformed HTTP/2 traffic patterns
Monitoring Recommendations
- Configure Jetty's JMX metrics export and monitor connection pool utilization
- Set threshold alerts for active connection counts exceeding normal baselines
- Implement health checks that verify server responsiveness under load
- Monitor file descriptor usage on Jetty server hosts as an early warning indicator
How to Mitigate CVE-2022-2048
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade Eclipse Jetty to a patched version that addresses this vulnerability
- Review and apply vendor-specific patches from NetApp and Jenkins if using affected products
- Consider temporarily disabling HTTP/2 if it is not essential and upgrade cannot be performed immediately
- Implement rate limiting on incoming connections to slow resource exhaustion attacks
Patch Information
Security patches are available from multiple vendors. Refer to the GitHub Security Advisory for Eclipse Jetty patched versions. Additional vendor advisories include:
Organizations should prioritize updating to patched Jetty versions and applying vendor-specific updates for derivative products.
Workarounds
- Disable HTTP/2 support and fall back to HTTP/1.1 if HTTP/2 features are not required
- Implement connection limits and timeouts at the reverse proxy or load balancer level
- Configure aggressive idle connection timeouts to help reclaim leaked resources
- Deploy a web application firewall capable of inspecting HTTP/2 traffic for malformed requests
# Configuration example - Jetty HTTP/2 connection limits
# Add to jetty-http2.xml or equivalent configuration
# Set maximum concurrent streams per connection
# jetty.http2.maxConcurrentStreams=128
# Configure aggressive idle timeout (milliseconds)
# jetty.http2.idleTimeout=30000
# Limit maximum session receive window size
# jetty.http2.initialSessionRecvWindow=1048576
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
