CVE-2024-57623

Executive Summary

CVE-2024-57623 is a denial-of-service (DoS) vulnerability in the MonetDB Server v11.49.1, specifically within the HEAP_malloc component. An attacker can trigger this issue by sending crafted SQL statements, leading to resource exhaustion and service disruption. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 0.0 (likely unassigned or placeholder), but the EPSS score is 0.0%, indicating low exploitation activity in the wild. No public proof-of-concept (PoC) or patch details are currently available.

CVSS Breakdown & Threat Level

• CVSS Score: 0.0 (Unassigned)
• Attack Vector: Network (likely)
• Attack Complexity: Low (likely)
• Privileges Required: None (likely)
• User Interaction: None (likely)
• Scope: Unchanged (likely)
• Confidentiality Impact: None
• Integrity Impact: None
• Availability Impact: High
• Threat Level: Medium (due to DoS potential, but low exploitation probability)

Deep Dive & Mechanics

The vulnerability resides in the HEAP_malloc function of MonetDB Server, which is responsible for heap memory allocation. Crafted SQL statements can cause this function to enter an infinite loop or allocate excessive memory, leading to a denial of service. The exact mechanism is not publicly documented, but it likely involves a flaw in memory management logic when handling specific query patterns or data types.

Vulnerable vs. Patched Code

No patch is currently available. The vulnerable version is MonetDB Server v11.49.1. The patched code would likely involve fixes to the HEAP_malloc function to handle edge cases or limit memory allocation.

Exploitation & Lab Setup

Red Team

1. Setup: Deploy MonetDB Server v11.49.1 in a controlled environment.
2. Craft SQL Statements: Use SQL queries that trigger the vulnerability. Example (hypothetical):

   SELECT * FROM large_table WHERE column LIKE '%pattern%' UNION ALL SELECT ...;
   

3. Execute: Send the crafted SQL statements to the server.
4. Observe: Monitor server resource usage (CPU, memory) and service availability.

Blue Team

1. Detection: Monitor for unusual SQL query patterns or high memory usage.
2. Mitigation: Apply rate limiting or input validation on SQL queries.
3. Response: Restart the MonetDB service if DoS occurs.

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

• Network: Unusual SQL queries with complex patterns or large UNION ALL statements.
• System: High memory usage by the MonetDB process (mserver5).
• Logs: MonetDB error logs showing repeated HEAP_malloc failures or timeouts.

Detection Engineering

YARA Rule

rule CVE_2024_57623_MonetDB_DoS {
    meta:
        description = "Detects potential exploitation of CVE-2024-57623 in MonetDB logs"
        author = "Valters IT"
        date = "2025-04-10"
    strings:
        $heap_error = "HEAP_malloc" nocase
        $oom = "out of memory" nocase
        $timeout = "timeout" nocase
    condition:
        any of ($heap_error) and (any of ($oom) or any of ($timeout))
}

Sigma Rule

title: MonetDB HEAP_malloc DoS Attempt
id: 8f3a2b1c-4d5e-6f7a-8b9c-0d1e2f3a4b5c
status: experimental
description: Detects potential exploitation of CVE-2024-57623 via crafted SQL statements
author: Valters IT
date: 2025-04-10
logsource:
    category: application
    product: monetdb
detection:
    selection:
        EventID: 1000
        Message|contains: 'HEAP_malloc'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate large queries
level: medium

Suricata Rule

alert tcp any any -> any 50000 (msg:"CVE-2024-57623 MonetDB DoS Attempt"; flow:to_server,established; content:"SELECT"; nocase; content:"UNION"; nocase; distance:0; within:100; pcre:"/(?i)(HEAP_malloc|out of memory)/"; sid:1000001; rev:1;)

Remediation & Mitigation

• Immediate: Restrict network access to MonetDB Server to trusted hosts only.
• Short-term: Apply input validation and rate limiting on SQL queries.
• Long-term: Monitor for official patches from MonetDB and apply them when available.
• Workaround: Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to filter suspicious SQL patterns.

Valters IT signature: This report is generated for educational and defensive purposes. Always verify with official sources.