CVE-2022-32292: Intel ConnMan Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2022-32292 Overview

CVE-2022-32292 is a critical heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability in Intel ConnMan through version 1.41. Remote attackers who can send HTTP requests to the gweb component are able to exploit a heap-based buffer overflow in the received_data function to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability allows remote code execution without authentication, enabling attackers to gain complete control over affected systems running ConnMan network management services.

Affected Products

• Intel ConnMan through version 1.41
• Debian Linux 11.0
• Systems utilizing ConnMan for network connectivity management

Discovery Timeline

• August 1, 2022 - Patch submitted to ConnMan mailing list
• August 3, 2022 - CVE-2022-32292 published to NVD
• November 21, 2024 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2022-32292

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists within the gweb component of ConnMan, specifically in the received_data function responsible for processing incoming HTTP response data. When processing HTTP responses, the function fails to properly validate the size of incoming data before copying it into a heap-allocated buffer. This lack of bounds checking allows an attacker to overflow the buffer with controlled data, potentially overwriting adjacent heap memory structures.

ConnMan is a daemon for managing internet connections within embedded devices and is commonly used in automotive, IoT, and embedded Linux systems. The gweb component handles web-related operations including HTTP communication for captive portal detection and other network connectivity checks. The vulnerability can be triggered remotely by any attacker capable of intercepting or responding to HTTP requests made by the gweb component.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is classified as CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write). The received_data function in the gweb component does not perform adequate bounds checking when copying received HTTP data into heap-allocated buffers. This allows data exceeding the allocated buffer size to overflow into adjacent memory regions, corrupting heap metadata and potentially enabling arbitrary code execution.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires no authentication or user interaction. An attacker positioned to respond to HTTP requests from the ConnMan gweb component (such as through man-in-the-middle positioning or by controlling a server that ConnMan connects to) can send a specially crafted HTTP response containing oversized data. When the received_data function processes this malicious response, the heap buffer overflow occurs, allowing the attacker to corrupt memory and potentially achieve code execution with the privileges of the ConnMan daemon.

The vulnerability is particularly concerning for embedded devices and IoT systems where ConnMan commonly runs with elevated privileges to manage network interfaces.

Detection Methods for CVE-2022-32292

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual memory consumption or crashes in the ConnMan daemon process
• Unexpected network connections originating from ConnMan to suspicious external hosts
• Core dumps or segmentation faults related to the ConnMan process
• Anomalous HTTP response patterns with oversized content lengths

Detection Strategies

• Monitor ConnMan process stability for unexpected crashes or restarts that may indicate exploitation attempts
• Implement network monitoring to detect abnormally large HTTP responses directed at systems running ConnMan
• Deploy host-based intrusion detection to identify suspicious memory access patterns in ConnMan processes
• Review system logs for ConnMan-related errors indicating buffer overflow conditions

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging for ConnMan daemon to capture detailed HTTP transaction information
• Monitor for new or unexpected child processes spawned by ConnMan that could indicate successful code execution
• Implement file integrity monitoring on ConnMan binaries and configuration files
• Track network traffic patterns for systems running ConnMan, particularly HTTP responses with unusual characteristics

How to Mitigate CVE-2022-32292

Immediate Actions Required

• Update ConnMan to a patched version that addresses CVE-2022-32292 immediately
• If updates are not immediately available, restrict network access to systems running vulnerable ConnMan versions
• Consider disabling the gweb component if captive portal detection is not required
• Isolate affected embedded devices on segmented network zones to limit exposure

Patch Information

Security patches are available from multiple sources. The fix was submitted to the ConnMan kernel mailing list on August 1, 2022. Distribution-specific patches are available:

• Debian Security Advisory DSA-5231 provides patched packages for Debian systems
• Gentoo GLSA 202310-21 addresses this vulnerability for Gentoo users
• Additional technical details are available in the SUSE Bug Report #1200189

Consult the Kernel Mailing List Discussion for the original patch submission and technical details.

Workarounds

• Disable or restrict the gweb component functionality if not required for network operations
• Implement network-level controls to prevent untrusted responses from reaching ConnMan
• Run ConnMan with reduced privileges where possible to limit the impact of successful exploitation
• Deploy network segmentation to isolate systems running ConnMan from untrusted network segments

# Check installed ConnMan version
connmand --version

# Verify if gweb functionality can be disabled (configuration dependent)
# Review /etc/connman/main.conf for available options

# Update ConnMan on Debian-based systems
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade connman

# Verify the updated version
dpkg -l | grep connman