CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2023-52441NVD status: Modified

Linux: Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2023-52441 is a high-severity improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 5c0df9d30c289d6b9d7d44e2a450de2f8e3cf40b, 330d900620dfc9893011d725b3620cd2ee0bc2bc, aa669ef229ae8dd779da9caa24e254964545895f as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.68% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 53% of scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Linux to 5c0df9d30c289d6b9d7d44e2a450de2f8e3cf40b or 330d900620dfc9893011d725b3620cd2ee0bc2bc or aa669ef229ae8dd779da9caa24e254964545895f or 536bb492d39bb6c080c92f31e8a55fe9934f452b, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Linux Kernel to 5.15.145 or 6.1.53 or 6.4.16, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinux51a8534c0f35c0401e45f1055f914729cad98bf9 up to, but not including, 5c0df9d30c289d6b9d7d44e2a450de2f8e3cf40b; 0b3ec5671ac06829ccebdaeec05acedfec327f42 up to, but not including, 330d900620dfc9893011d725b3620cd2ee0bc2bc; 39b291b86b5988bf8753c3874d5c773399d09b96 up to, but not including, aa669ef229ae8dd779da9caa24e254964545895f; 39b291b86b5988bf8753c3874d5c773399d09b96 up to, but not including, 536bb492d39bb6c080c92f31e8a55fe9934f452b; cc32cd98a0aee4cc3eb611cbce11795b1aaa738a; 5.15.105 up to, but not including, 5.15.145; 6.1.22 up to, but not including, 6.1.53; 6.2.9 up to, but not including, 6.3; and 1 more ranges5c0df9d30c289d6b9d7d44e2a450de2f8e3cf40b, 330d900620dfc9893011d725b3620cd2ee0bc2bc, aa669ef229ae8dd779da9caa24e254964545895f, 536bb492d39bb6c080c92f31e8a55fe9934f452b, 5.15.145, 6.1.53
LinuxLinux Kernel5.15.0 up to, but not including, 5.15.145; 5.16.0 up to, but not including, 6.1.53; 6.2.0 up to, but not including, 6.4.165.15.145, 6.1.53, 6.4.16

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
LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
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:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.19.1CriticalCNA
CVSS 3.17.8HighNVD

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ksmbd: fix out of bounds in init_smb2_rsp_hdr() If client send smb2 negotiate request and then send smb1 negotiate request, init_smb2_rsp_hdr is called for smb1 negotiate request since need_neg is set to false. This patch ignore smb1 packets after ->need_neg is set to false.

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

The underlying weakness: Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer

The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it reads from or writes to a memory location outside the buffer's intended boundary.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, many languages that perform their own memory management, such as Java and Perl, are not subject to buffer overflows. Other languages, such as Ada and C#, typically provide overflow protection, but the protection can be disabled by the programmer. Be wary that a language's interface to native code may still be subject to overflows, even if the language itself is theoretically safe.
  • Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. Examples include the Safe C String Library (SafeStr) by Messier and Viega, and the Strsafe.h library from Microsoft. These libraries provide safer versions of overflow-prone string-handling functions.
  • Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking. D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND discusses canary-based detection in detail.

More Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer vulnerabilities (CWE-119)

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

Recent Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer vulnerabilities

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