CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2023-52444NVD status: Modified

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

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2023-52444 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 02160112e6d45c2610b049df6eb693d7a2e57b46, 5624a3c1b1ebc8991318e1cce2aa719542991024, 6f866885e147d33efc497f1095f35b2ee5ec7310 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 0.24% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Linux to 02160112e6d45c2610b049df6eb693d7a2e57b46 or 5624a3c1b1ebc8991318e1cce2aa719542991024 or 6f866885e147d33efc497f1095f35b2ee5ec7310 or f100ba617d8be6c98a68f3744ef7617082975b77, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFP to V3.1.5 or a later version.
  3. Update SIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFP to V3.1.5 or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinux7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 up to, but not including, 02160112e6d45c2610b049df6eb693d7a2e57b46; 7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 up to, but not including, 5624a3c1b1ebc8991318e1cce2aa719542991024; 7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 up to, but not including, 6f866885e147d33efc497f1095f35b2ee5ec7310; 7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 up to, but not including, f100ba617d8be6c98a68f3744ef7617082975b77; 7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 up to, but not including, f0145860c20be6bae6785c7a2249577674702ac7; 7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 up to, but not including, d3c0b49aaa12a61d560528f5d605029ab57f0728; 7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 up to, but not including, 2fb4867f4405aea8c0519d7d188207f232a57862; 7e01e7ad746bc8198a8b46163ddc73a1c7d22339 up to, but not including, 53edb549565f55ccd0bdf43be3d66ce4c2d48b28; and 1 more ranges02160112e6d45c2610b049df6eb693d7a2e57b46, 5624a3c1b1ebc8991318e1cce2aa719542991024, 6f866885e147d33efc497f1095f35b2ee5ec7310, f100ba617d8be6c98a68f3744ef7617082975b77, f0145860c20be6bae6785c7a2249577674702ac7, d3c0b49aaa12a61d560528f5d605029ab57f0728
SiemensSIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFPV3.1.0 up to, but not including, V3.1.5V3.1.5
SiemensSIMATIC S7-1500 CPU 1518F-4 PN/DP MFPV3.1.0 up to, but not including, V3.1.5V3.1.5
SiemensSIPLUS S7-1500 CPU 1518-4 PN/DP MFPV3.1.0 up to, but not including, V3.1.5V3.1.5
LinuxLinux Kernel4.2.0 up to, but not including, 4.19.306; 4.20 up to, but not including, 5.4.268; 5.5.0 up to, but not including, 5.10.209; 5.11.0 up to, but not including, 5.15.148; 5.16.0 up to, but not including, 6.1.75; 6.2.0 up to, but not including, 6.6.14; 6.7.0 up to, but not including, 6.7.24.19.306, 5.4.268, 5.10.209, 5.15.148, 6.1.75, 6.6.14

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 3.17.8HighCNA
CVSS 3.17.8HighNVD

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: f2fs: fix to avoid dirent corruption As Al reported in link[1]: f2fs_rename() ... if (old_dir != new_dir && !whiteout) f2fs_set_link(old_inode, old_dir_entry, old_dir_page, new_dir); else f2fs_put_page(old_dir_page, 0); You want correct inumber in the ".." link. And cross-directory rename does move the source to new parent, even if you'd been asked to leave a whiteout in the old place. [1] https://lore.kernel.org/all/20231017055040.GN800259@ZenIV/ With below testcase, it may cause dirent corruption, due to it missed to call f2fs_set_link() to update ".." link to new directory. - mkdir -p dir/foo - renameat2 -w dir/foo bar [ASSERT] (__chk_dots_dentries:1421) --> Bad inode number[0x4] for '..', parent parent ino is [0x3] [FSCK] other corrupted bugs [Fail]

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

Spotted an error? Tell us.