CVE-2024-38927
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a use-after-free vulnerability in ROS2 Nav2's AMCL process that can be triggered remotely by sending a request to change the dynamic parameter '/amcl do_beamskip'. This allows attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code or crash the nav2_amcl process. Systems running ROS2 Humble with Nav2 are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- ROS2 (Robot Operating System 2)
- Nav2 (Navigation2)
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to complete system compromise, privilege escalation, or lateral movement within robotic systems.
Likely Case
Denial of service through nav2_amcl process crash, disrupting robot navigation and autonomous operations.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if network segmentation prevents external access to ROS2 nodes and parameter services.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires sending a specific parameter change request via ROS2 services, which is straightforward for anyone with ROS2 client access.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Fixed in navigation2 repository via pull request #4397
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/ros-navigation/navigation2/issues/4379
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update navigation2 package to latest version. 2. Rebuild ROS2 workspace. 3. Restart nav2_amcl and related nodes. 4. Verify parameter handling is secure.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Network Segmentation
linuxRestrict network access to ROS2 nodes using firewall rules to prevent unauthorized parameter changes.
sudo ufw deny from any to any port 11311
sudo ufw deny from any to any port 11511
Disable Dynamic Parameter Reconfiguration
linuxRemove or restrict dynamic parameter reconfiguration capabilities for nav2_amcl if not required.
ros2 param set /amcl use_sim_time true
Modify launch files to disable dynamic parameters
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network segmentation to isolate ROS2 nodes from untrusted networks.
- Monitor for parameter change requests to '/amcl do_beamskip' and alert on suspicious activity.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if nav2_amcl is running and accessible via 'ros2 node list' and test parameter service accessibility.Check Version:
ros2 pkg list | grep navigation2 && cd ~/ros2_ws && git -C src/navigation2 log --oneline -1Verify Fix Applied:
Attempt to reproduce the parameter change request that triggers the use-after-free; system should handle it gracefully without crashing.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- nav2_amcl process crashes or segmentation faults
- Unexpected parameter change requests to '/amcl do_beamskip'
Network Indicators:
- ROS2 DDS traffic containing parameter change requests to vulnerable nodes
- Unusual source IPs accessing ROS2 services
SIEM Query:
process_name="nav2_amcl" AND (event_type="crash" OR event_type="segfault") OR ros_topic="/parameter_events" AND parameter_name="/amcl/do_beamskip"