Overview
This blog post is intended to shed light on an identified critical security vulnerability, designated CVE-2024-39835, in the Robot Operating System (ROS) ‘roslaunch’ command-line tool that affects ROS distributions Noetic Ninjemys and earlier versions. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows an attacker to craft and execute arbitrary Python code, potentially leading to system compromise or data leakage. As ROS is widely used in various robotic applications, this vulnerability could have far-reaching impacts in the realm of robotics, demanding immediate attention and mitigation.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2024-39835
Severity: High (7.8 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
ROS ‘roslaunch’ tool | Noetic Ninjemys and earlier versions
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability stems from the ‘roslaunch’ tool’s use of the eval() method to process user-supplied, unsanitized parameter values within the substitution args mechanism. This mechanism is evaluated by ‘roslaunch’ before launching a node. Since the input is not properly sanitized, it allows the execution of arbitrary Python code. Attackers can exploit this flaw by crafting malicious Python code and using it as input for these parameters. When the ‘roslaunch’ tool evaluates this input, the malicious code is executed, potentially compromising the system or leading to data leakage.
Conceptual Example Code
Here’s a conceptual example that demonstrates how the vulnerability might be exploited:
# Attacker crafts malicious Python code
malicious_code = "__import__('os').system('rm -rf /') # This would erase all files"
# Attacker uses the malicious code as an argument in a roslaunch command
command = "roslaunch package node arg:={}".format(malicious_code)
# When roslaunch evaluates the command, the malicious code is executed
os.system(command)Please note that the above is a conceptual demonstration and is intended to illustrate the nature of the vulnerability. It’s critical to patch this vulnerability as soon as possible to prevent potential exploits. Temporary mitigation can be achieved through the use of a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS).
