Executive brief
Kronosnet, a networking library used to manage high-availability clusters, fails to properly clear sensitive data from system memory after changing its security settings. This flaw could allow a local attacker to recover secret encryption keys that remain in memory. With these keys, an attacker could eavesdrop on private cluster communications or disrupt the stability of the entire server cluster.
Technical details
A vulnerability exists in kronosnet (version 1.34 and earlier) within its cryptographic configuration management. The framework fails to explicitly wipe or zero-out sensitive memory structures (using routines like memset_s) before they are freed or reallocated during configuration changes. This results in raw cryptographic key material remaining resident in unallocated heap memory. A local attacker capable of leveraging memory disclosure techniques or inspecting uninitialized heap segments can recover these keys. Successful exploitation allows for the decryption of cluster network communications or the injection of unauthorized packets, potentially leading to cluster instability.
Affected products
- kronosnet kronosnet <=1.34
- Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Red Hat Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4
Timeline
- 2026-07-15: disclosed: Initial report in Red Hat Bugzilla
- 2026-07-21: advisory: NVD publication date