CVE-2023-24012
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows attackers with valid certificates to craft malicious DDS Participants or ROS 2 Nodes that can compromise secure DDS databus systems. The issue stems from improper PKCS#7 certificate validation in some DDS implementations, enabling attackers to gain full control of affected systems. Organizations using vulnerable DDS implementations with secure communication enabled are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- ROS 2 sros2
- DDS implementations using vulnerable PKCS#7 validation
⚠️ Manual Verification Required
This CVE does not have specific version information in our database, so automatic vulnerability detection cannot determine if your system is affected.
Why? The CVE database entry doesn't specify which versions are vulnerable (no version ranges provided by the vendor/NVD).
🔒 Custom verification scripts are available for registered users. Sign up free to download automated test scripts.
- Review the CVE details at NVD
- Check vendor security advisories for your specific version
- Test if the vulnerability is exploitable in your environment
- Consider updating to the latest version as a precaution
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete compromise of the DDS databus system, allowing attackers to intercept, modify, or inject messages, potentially leading to system takeover or data exfiltration.
Likely Case
Unauthorized access to secure DDS communications, enabling message interception, data manipulation, or denial of service against the databus.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper certificate validation and network segmentation, potentially only affecting isolated components.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires valid certificates and knowledge of DDS/ROS 2 systems. The vulnerability is in the certificate validation logic itself.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: ROS 2 Humble Hawksbill patch and later versions
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/ros2/sros2/issues/282
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Update ROS 2 to patched version. 2. Update sros2 package. 3. Regenerate security artifacts if using custom certificates. 4. Verify PKCS#7 validation is properly implemented.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable DDS Security
allTemporarily disable DDS security features if not required, removing the vulnerable certificate validation path.
Set environment variable RMW_IMPLEMENTATION=rmw_fastrtps_cpp (without security)
Configure DDS to use non-secure transport
Network Segmentation
allIsolate DDS traffic to trusted networks only, limiting exposure to potential attackers.
Configure firewall rules to restrict DDS ports (typically 7400-7500)
Use VLANs to segment DDS network traffic
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network access controls to limit DDS traffic to trusted sources only.
- Monitor DDS participant connections and certificate validation failures for suspicious activity.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if using ROS 2 Humble or earlier with sros2 enabled, and verify if PKCS#7 certificate validation is implemented according to security standards.Check Version:
ros2 --version && ros2 pkg list | grep sros2Verify Fix Applied:
Verify ROS 2 version is patched, test certificate validation with invalid signatures to ensure proper rejection, and confirm sros2 package is updated.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected certificate validation successes
- Multiple failed certificate validations followed by success
- New DDS participants with unusual certificate attributes
Network Indicators:
- Unusual DDS discovery traffic from untrusted sources
- DDS security handshake anomalies
- Traffic patterns inconsistent with normal DDS participant behavior
SIEM Query:
source="dds_logs" AND (event_type="certificate_validation" AND result="success") AND certificate_issuer NOT IN ["trusted_issuers"]