CVE-2024-38926

Open Robotics Robotic Operating System 2 (ROS2) and Nav2 humble versions were discovered to contain a use-after-free via the nav2_amcl process

Critical · published December 6, 2024

CVSS v3.1
9.1
EPSS
1%
Percentile
47.4
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

🔥 A use-after-free vulnerability in Open Robotics' ROS2 could let an attacker remotely change critical parameters! Think of it like a chef who mistakenly serves a dish twice — the first time, the recipe calls for fresh ingredients, but when it’s served again, the kitchen runs out of what’s essential. This chaos can lead to disastrous results! If exploited, an attacker could manipulate dynamic parameters like `/amcl z_short`, potentially causing robots to behave erratically or even crash entirely. The implications could be absolutely devastating, especially in environments where safety is crucial — imagine a robot malfunctioning in a busy warehouse!

Put simply

Think of it like a chef who mistakenly serves a dish twice — the first time, the recipe calls for fresh ingredients, but when it’s served again, the kitchen runs out of what’s essential. This chaos can lead to disastrous results! This vulnerability arises from a use-after-free condition in the `nav2_amcl` process, triggered by a remote request that alters dynamic parameters. Essentially, it allows the memory to be accessed after it has been freed, leading to unpredictable and dangerous behavior.

What to do

If exploited, an attacker could manipulate dynamic parameters like `/amcl z_short`, potentially causing robots to behave erratically or even crash entirely. The implications could be absolutely devastating, especially in environments where safety is crucial — imagine a robot malfunctioning in a busy warehouse! To mitigate this, immediately patch ROS2 and Nav2 to the latest versions that address this vulnerability. Ensure all systems are updated and review any configurations related to dynamic parameters to prevent unauthorized changes. You've got this! With these steps, you can secure your systems and keep everything running smoothly! 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.1
9.1 · CRITICAL
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.00587 · 47.4th percentile
Published
2024-12-06T00:00Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 06 DEC 00:00Z
    Open Robotics Robotic Operating System 2 (ROS2) and Nav2 humble versions were discovered to contain a use-after-free via the nav2_amcl process
    cvelistv5