CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2022-36053NVD status: Modified

contiki-ng: Out-of-bounds Read

CVE-2022-36053 is a high-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in contiki-ng, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected contiki-ng versions: < 4.8. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.63% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 51% of scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Check which version of contiki-ng you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
Contiki-ngcontiki-ng< 4.8Not 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
LowA basic user account is enough.
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:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.15.9MediumCNA (github.com)
CVSS 3.18.8HighNVD

Official description

Contiki-NG is an open-source, cross-platform operating system for Next-Generation IoT devices. The low-power IPv6 network stack of Contiki-NG has a buffer module (os/net/ipv6/uipbuf.c) that processes IPv6 extension headers in incoming data packets. As part of this processing, the function uipbuf_get_next_header casts a pointer to a uip_ext_hdr structure into the packet buffer at different offsets where extension headers are expected to be found, and then reads from this structure. Because of a lack of bounds checking, the casting can be done so that the structure extends beyond the packet's end. Hence, with a carefully crafted packet, it is possible to cause the Contiki-NG system to read data outside the packet buffer. A patch that fixes the vulnerability is included in Contiki-NG 4.8.

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

The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Read

The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use a language that provides appropriate memory abstractions.

More Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities (CWE-125)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in contiki-ng

All contiki-ng vulnerabilities

Recent Out-of-bounds Read vulnerabilities

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