CVE-2022-31076 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting KubeEdge, an open-source platform that extends Kubernetes capabilities to edge computing environments by managing containerized applications and devices at the network edge. The vulnerability arises from a NULL pointer dereference (CWE-476) in the Unix Domain Socket (UDS) server component of CloudCore, which is part of the cloud-side infrastructure in KubeEdge. Specifically, when the unixsocket switch is enabled in the cloudcore.yaml configuration file, a maliciously crafted message sent to the UDS server can trigger a nil-pointer dereference, causing the CloudCore process to crash. This results in a denial of service (DoS) condition affecting the cloud component responsible for managing edge nodes and devices. Exploitation requires the attacker to be an authenticated user within the cloud environment, as the UDS server only communicates locally with the Container Storage Interface (CSI) driver on the cloud host, limiting the attack surface to the local host network. The vulnerability affects KubeEdge versions prior to 1.9.3 and versions between 1.10.0 and before 1.10.1. The issue has been addressed in versions 1.9.3, 1.10.1, and 1.11.0. Users unable to upgrade are advised to disable the unixsocket switch in the cloudcore.yaml configuration to mitigate the risk. No known exploits have been reported in the wild to date.

For European organizations deploying KubeEdge to manage edge computing infrastructure, this vulnerability poses a risk of localized denial of service on the cloud management component. A successful exploit would cause the CloudCore service to crash, potentially disrupting orchestration and device management functions at the edge. This could lead to temporary loss of control over edge nodes, impacting availability of critical applications, especially in sectors relying on edge computing such as manufacturing, telecommunications, and smart city deployments. Since exploitation requires authenticated access and is limited to the local host network, the risk of external attackers causing widespread disruption is low. However, insider threats or compromised cloud credentials could be leveraged to trigger the crash. The impact on confidentiality and integrity is minimal as the vulnerability does not allow code execution or data leakage. The primary concern is availability degradation of cloud-edge orchestration services, which could cascade into operational disruptions in edge-dependent services.

European organizations should prioritize upgrading KubeEdge to versions 1.9.3, 1.10.1, or later to remediate this vulnerability. If immediate upgrading is not feasible, the unixsocket switch in the cloudcore.yaml configuration file should be disabled to prevent the vulnerable UDS server code path from being active. Additionally, organizations should enforce strict access controls and monitoring on authenticated users with cloud access to reduce the risk of insider exploitation. Implementing robust logging and alerting on CloudCore service crashes can enable rapid detection and response to attempted exploits. Network segmentation should be employed to isolate the cloud host environment and limit access to the UDS server socket. Regular audits of KubeEdge configurations and user privileges will further reduce exposure. Finally, organizations should stay informed on any emerging exploit reports or patches related to this vulnerability.