CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2022-0699NVD status: Modified

shapelib: Double Free

CVE-2022-0699 is a critical-severity double free vulnerability in shapelib, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected shapelib versions: shapelib 1.5.0 and older releases. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.66% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 77% of scored CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Check which version of shapelib you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Shapelibshapelibshapelib 1.5.0 and older releasesNot stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.19.8CriticalNVD
CVSS 3.19.8CriticalCISA (ADP)

Official description

A double-free condition exists in contrib/shpsort.c of shapelib 1.5.0 and older releases. This issue may allow an attacker to cause a denial of service or have other unspecified impact via control over malloc.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Double Free

The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
  • Ensure that each allocation is freed only once. After freeing a chunk, set the pointer to NULL to ensure the pointer cannot be freed again. In complicated error conditions, be sure that clean-up routines respect the state of allocation properly. If the language is object oriented, ensure that object destructors delete each chunk of memory only once.
  • Use a static analysis tool to find double free instances.

More Double Free vulnerabilities (CWE-415)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Technical write-ups (may include proof of concept)

Recent Double Free vulnerabilities

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