squid: Use After Free
CVE-2023-49288 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in squid from Squid-cache, 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 squid versions: >= 3.5, < 6.0.1. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 4.78% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is in the top 7.94% of all scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of squid you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squid-cache | squid | >= 3.5, < 6.0.1 | Not 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
- NoneNo data is disclosed.
- Integrity
- NoneNothing can be modified.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.6 | High | CNA (github.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.5 | High | NVD |
Official description
Squid is a caching proxy for the Web supporting HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and more. Affected versions of squid are subject to a a Use-After-Free bug which can lead to a Denial of Service attack via collapsed forwarding. All versions of Squid from 3.5 up to and including 5.9 configured with "collapsed_forwarding on" are vulnerable. Configurations with "collapsed_forwarding off" or without a "collapsed_forwarding" directive are not vulnerable. This bug is fixed by Squid version 6.0.1. Users are advised to upgrade. Users unable to upgrade should remove all collapsed_forwarding lines from their squid.conf.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Use After Free
The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory belongs to the code that operates on the new pointer.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
- When freeing pointers, be sure to set them to NULL once they are freed. However, the utilization of multiple or complex data structures may lower the usefulness of this strategy.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in squid
- 7.7 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.5 High severity
Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
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