Deserialization of Untrusted Data in MONAI

Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a deserialization of untrusted data flaw in MONAI versions before 1.5.2. The algo_from_pickle function in monai/auto3dseg/utils.py reads a .pkl file and passes its contents to pickle.loads without validating the data source or content. Attackers can exploit this by providing a malicious pickle file that executes arbitrary code during deserialization via objects defining __reduce__.

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Detection Guidance

Check for MONAI versions before 1.5.2 by running commands like pip show monai or pip list | grep monai. Inspect files using algo_from_pickle in monai/auto3dseg/utils.py for unvalidated pickle.loads calls. Monitor for unexpected processes or network connections that may indicate exploitation.

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Impact Analysis

If you use MONAI versions 1.5.1 or earlier, an attacker could craft a malicious pickle file to execute arbitrary commands on your system when the vulnerable function processes it. This could lead to remote code execution, allowing attackers to take control of your application or system, steal data, or perform other malicious actions.

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Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized code execution, potentially resulting in data breaches or loss of sensitive information. Such incidents may violate GDPR's data protection requirements or HIPAA's safeguards for protected health information, leading to legal penalties, reputational damage, and loss of trust.

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Mitigation Strategies

Upgrade MONAI to version 1.5.2 or later immediately. Avoid loading untrusted pickle files. Implement input validation for all pickle data sources. Use safe deserialization methods if pickle usage is necessary.

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