CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2023-30546NVD status: Modified

contiki-ng: Out-of-bounds Read

CVE-2023-30546 is a high-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in contiki-ng, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, 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 0.64% 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.
  3. 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
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
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
NoneNothing can be modified.
Availability
NoneAvailability is not affected.

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

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.19.8CriticalCNA (github.com)
CVSS 3.17.5HighNVD

Official description

Contiki-NG is an operating system for Internet of Things devices. An off-by-one error can be triggered in the Antelope database management system in the Contiki-NG operating system in versions 4.8 and prior. The problem exists in the Contiki File System (CFS) backend for the storage of data (file os/storage/antelope/storage-cfs.c). In the functions `storage_get_index` and `storage_put_index`, a buffer for merging two strings is allocated with one byte less than the maximum size of the merged strings, causing subsequent function calls to the cfs_open function to read from memory beyond the buffer size. The vulnerability has been patched in the "develop" branch of Contiki-NG, and is expected to be included in the next release. As a workaround, the problem can be fixed by applying the patch in Contiki-NG pull request #2425.

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: yes, technical impact: total).
  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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