Advisories, CWE, Education

Understanding and Mitigating the CVE-2022-41741 Vulnerability in NGINX

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NGINX, a widely-used open-source web server, has recently been affected by a critical vulnerability – CVE-2022-41741. The vulnerability is specific to NGINX’s module, ngx_http_mp4_module, and can be exploited by a local attacker to corrupt NGINX worker memory resulting in its termination. In this article, we will explain the details of the CVE-2022-41741 vulnerability and provide guidance on how to mitigate the risk.

What is CVE-2022-41741?

CVE-2022-41741 is a vulnerability in NGINX’s module, ngx_http_mp4_module. The vulnerability allows a local attacker to corrupt NGINX worker memory, which can cause its termination or other potential impact, using a specially crafted audio or video file. The attack can be executed only when the mp4 directive is used in the configuration file of NGINX products built with the ngx_http_mp4_module.

What does CVE-2022-41741 affect?

The CVE-2022-41741 vulnerability in NGINX can have a significant impact on the security and stability of the web server. If exploited, the vulnerability can cause NGINX to crash, resulting in downtime and a loss of availability. Furthermore, attackers can also gain access to sensitive information stored in the system by exploiting the vulnerability.

How can you protect yourself from CVE-2022-41741?

To mitigate the risk of CVE-2022-41741, users of NGINX products built with the ngx_http_mp4_module should update their software to the latest version. NGINX Open Source before versions 1.23.2 and 1.22.1, NGINX Open Source Subscription before versions R2 P1 and R1 P1, and NGINX Plus before versions R27 P1 and R26 P1 are all vulnerable to this CVE-2022-41741 vulnerability. Therefore, updating to the latest version will address the vulnerability and prevent attackers from exploiting it.

In summary, the CVE-2022-41741 vulnerability in NGINX’s module, ngx_http_mp4_module, can have severe consequences if exploited. However, updating to the latest version of NGINX will mitigate the risk and prevent attackers from exploiting this vulnerability. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that the web server is updated as soon as possible to avoid any potential security risks.